Wood pellet heating market

Wood pellets, burners and boilers

The wood pellet market is an established and growing sector in New Zealand and some parts of Australia with a number of producers of fuel and providers of residential through to industrial scale heating equipment. With a large scale pellet fuelled heat plant now operating at Waiouru, the market is extended from small to medium scale commercial operations, and is competitive with gas and coal.

Activity is increasing as the popularity of pellets takes off. Use the following links to find out who is using pellets and where they are located:

Quality wood pellets - a consumer's guide

Wood Pellets can have a wide range of qualities. As a general rule the cheaper the pellets, the lower the quality.  When purchasing wood pellets check if they have been manufactured by an Accredited Wood Fuel Supplier. Accredited Suppliers are independently monitored to ensure that they are producing pellets to the appropriate standard. You will have trouble free heating if you purchase pellet fuel only from Accredited Suppliers. Also check that the heater of boiler you will be using the pellets in has been manufactured to be fuelled by the grade of pellet that you are purchasing.

More details can be found in the following publications:

What is the Bioenergy Association doing?

  • Residential Wood Pellet Heating Group (RWPHG) - The Bioenergy Association has formed a dedicated residential wood pellet heating group where members of the Association with a specific interest in wood pellets can work together to grow the residential wood pellet heating sector. The group takes the lead on activities and initiatives relating to growth of the wood pellet heating market including articles, research and workshops.
  • Commercial scale wood pellet heating is overseen by the Wood Energy Interest Group of the Association. The Interest Group manages this website and runs a programme of activities and workshops setting out best practice and providing independent information on the use of wood fuel (including wood pellets) for heating.

The Bioenergy Association collaborates with its members to advance its mission of expanding the wood pellet heating market by:

  • Member Support: The Executive Officer is available to discuss any aspect of the wood pellet heating market with members confidentially.
  • Leadership - As the industry body, it leads the development of the wood pellet heating market in New Zealand and Australia.
  • Accreditations: The association manages accreditation schemes for pellet fuel suppliers and residential heater installers, ensuring compliance with standards and best practices.
  • Information Sharing: Tihe association provides accurate and up-to-date information on the wood pellet heating sector.
  • Government Advice:  The association offers guidance to government  for policy development, presenting realistic proposals.
  • Fuel and Equipment Standards: The association supports the creation of quality standards for wood fuels and works to ensure compliance across the supply chain.
  • Training and Support: The association supports its members with training, codes of practice, accreditation and seminars and conferences.
  • Research and Development: The association supports and contributes to research and development efforts related to wood pellet heating through collations with academic and government bodies.
  • Collaboration:  The association works closely with feedstock suppliers, pellet producers and distributors, equipment manufacturers, and heater and boiler retailers to strengthen the industry.
  • Awareness Raising: The association helps raise awareness in New Zealand and Australian communities about wood pellets as a mainstream heating source for homes and commercial applications.