This blog includes data from the Forisk Wood Fiber Review, a quarterly publication tracking North America’s major wood fiber markets. For more information, please visit www.forisk.com.

In North America, there are four major exporting pellet regions: South Central, Southeast, East Canada and West Canada.

The Southeast region has historically and continues to be the largest wood pellet exporting region in North America. Exports in Q2 2023 totaled 1.4 million tonnes, a 49% increase when compared to five years ago in Q2 2018. According to the Forisk North American Forest Industry Capacity Database, the South Central region continues to attract pellet production capacity investment, including projects like Enviva Lucedale, Enviva Epes, CM Biomass Jackson and CM Biomass Quitman. With some capacity already coming online, the region is setting a record for exports at 981 thousand tonnes, up 90% since Q2 2018.

Eastern Canada pellet exports have grown exponentially since Q2 2018. In Q2 2022, the region exported 209 thousand tonnes, a 284% increase when compared to the same time period in 2018. The region has been attracting some recent investment such as the Groupe Lebel Cacouna facility. There has not been some capacity expansions in Western Canada, but they have largely offset by the closure of the largest pellet production facility in Q1 of 2022. In Q2 2022, the region exported 687 thousand tonnes, just an 11% increase when compared to the same period in 2018.