Early predictions for this heating season point to a mild winter, with warmer and drier conditions expected across much of the northern half the U.S. and Canada, and wetter-than-average conditions for the West, Southeast and Gulf Coast. The cause: El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says is “marked by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator, which occurs on average every 2-7 years.” At this point, it seems it isn’t a question of if, but a question of how impactful it will be. &nbsp;The U.S. EIA’s most recent Winter Fuels Outlook Report reflects this, predicting flat or decreased household heating costs this winter, with the number of overall homes using wood as a primary heating fuel estimated to fall by 1%. “The decline of wood as a primary heating fuel is most pronounced in the Northeast, where 347,000 households are expected to use wood as a primary heating fuel, down 6% when compared to last winter,” the report says. To the contrary, it predicts households in the Midwest to remain stable, and in the West to increase by 2%. Interestingly, the EIA outlook suggests this winter will be colder than last winter, though above 10-year-average temps. But while these predictions provide precautionary guidance, they are just that—predictions. We'll revisit this once producers have crunched the numbers and tallied heating degree days this spring.&nbsp;In this issue of Pellet Mill Magazine, I review some of the information gleaned from our 2024 fuel pellet producer map. While the summary isn’t exhaustive, I highlighted some of the things learned while updating our data. One more thing I would like to mention that I didn’t in the feature, “Mapping it Out,” on page 18, are the new facilities that are using unconventional feedstocks—Prairie Clean Energy in Regina, Saskatchewan, using flax straw; CM Biomass’s Douglas Pellets in Georgia that uses peanut hulls; and Delta Biofuels’ plant using sugarcane bagasse. It will be interesting to see if this list continues to grow in the coming years.Our second feature story profiles Maine company Player Design, which is in the process of expanding its compressed firelog plant in Ashland, Maine, to produce steam-treated wood pellets via “flash” technology (hence the cover headline reference). Contributing writer S.J. Saunders interviewed owner and founder Tyler Player about the company’s experience, capabilities, goals and aspirations, and got the details of the project, which is currently under construction. One thing Player emphasized is a focus on being able to use every scrap of wood—something he and the company take pride in, and for producers in the U.S. heating pellet industry, is a cornerstone of their businesses. Check out “Success by Design” on page 12, and keep an eye out for the 2024 U.S. and Canada Fuel Pellet Production Map, which will be available soon.&nbsp; &nbsp;Author: Anna Simet&nbsp; Editor&nbsp; asimet@bbiinternational.com

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The lastest issue of Pellet Mill Magazine discusses expected demand for wood heating this winter, a discussion of data included in the 2024 fuel pellet producer map, and Player Design's steam-treated wood pellet project. 

Signs Point to a Warmer (Than Average) Winter

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Upcoming Events

2024 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

North American SAF Conference & Expo

RNG Conference

Signs Point to a Warmer (Than Average) Winter