UK wood pellet consumption reaches record 10.35 million tonnes

Bioenergy Insight
August 25, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: International

The United Kingdom is forecast to consume 10.35 million tonnes of wood pellets in 2026, representing a 4% increase from 2025 and a record consumption level, according to a report filed with the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. The consumption increase will require an estimated 10.15 million tonnes of imports. The forecast reflects strong demand from the industrial biomass power sector, which is operating at near-maximum capacity as major operators maximise output ahead of structural changes to subsidy mechanisms. Industrial bioenergy accounts for approximately 93% of UK wood pellet demand, with Drax and Lynemouth power stations consuming a combined estimated 9.63 million tonnes annually. …The 4% year-on-year consumption growth from 9.95 million tonnes in 2025 represents continued reliance on biomass within the UK’s electricity generation mix. Residential and commercial heating sectors account for the remaining 7% of wood pellet demand, a significantly smaller market segment than industrial power generation.

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