Canada big pellet supplier to EU in 2010

May 18, 2011, London, UK – Wood pellet
imports into Europe from outside the EU rose by 42% in 2010 compared with 2009,
according to a study by forest product consultants Hawkins Wright. Imports
increased to 2.5 million tonnes in 2010 from 1.7 million tonnes in 2009, the
company said at the second annual Forestry, Biomass, and Sustainability
conference in London, UK, in early May 2011.

The biggest importer of pellets from
outside the EU was the Netherlands, which imported 900,000 tonnes in 2010
compared with just under 792,000 tonnes in 2009. The UK saw the biggest
increase in pellet imports from outside the EU to 511,000 tonnes in 2010 from
just 3,000 tonnes in 2009, making it the second-largest importer.

Canada overtook the United States as the
biggest supplier of pellets to Europe, shipping 926,000 tonnes in 2010 compared
with 520,000 tonnes in 2009. U.S. shipments to Europe increased to 736,000
tonnes in 2010 from 535,000 tonnes in 2009.

Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, and Italy were
the other big importers of wood pellets from outside the EU in 2010, according
to the Hawkins Wright study.