Table 2 Feedstock type and source for 17 pellet mills in the southeast U.S. (2017). Annual production capacity given in metric tonnes year−1
Pellet mill | Annual production capacity | Feedstocks used | Primary fiber sources | Secondary and tertiary fiber sources | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary fiber | Secondary residuals | Forest types | Forest ownership | |||
1 | 100,000–200,000 | 15% primary fiber (in-woods chips from thinnings) | 85% secondary residuals (75% sawmill residuals and 10% non-sawmill wood product facilities) | Pine and upland hardwood | 15% from a single industrial owner under long-term contract; 85% non-industrial | Volume-based supply contracts with a few wood dealers sourcing from 40 sawmills and 15 other wood product facilities |
2 | 700,000–800,000 | 70% primary fiber | 30% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 100% pine | 80% non-industrial, 15% industrial, 5% public | Volume-based supply contracts with approximately 15 wood brokers who each source from the same 15–20 sawmills |
3 | 400,000–500,000 | 100% primary fiber (60% pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs and 40% in-woods chips) 90% of which is from final harvests and 10% thinnings | – | 63% pine, 33% pine/hardwood, 3% bottomland hardwood, 2% upland hardwood | 97% non-industrial; 3% industrial | Volume-based supply contracts with 10 wood dealers |
4 | 300,000–400,000 | 73% primary fiber (in-woods chips) | 27% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 63% pine, 33% pine/hardwood, 3% bottomland hardwood, 2% upland hardwood | 99% non-industrial, 1% industrial | Volume-based supply contracts with 80 wood dealers sourcing from 35 to 40 sawmills |
5 | 500,000–600,000 | 90% primary fiber (60% of total is harvest residuals as limbs and tops and 30% of total is pulpwood as tree-length logs) | 10% secondary residues (sawmill residuals) | 7% bottomland hardwood, 7% mill residues, 60% hardwood/pine, 23% pine, 3% upland hardwood | 99% non-industrial, 1% industrial | Volume-based supply contracts with 80 wood dealers sourcing from 35 to 40 sawmill |
6 | 500,000–600,000 | 80% primary fiber (58% of total is pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs and 22% of total is in-woods chips) | 20% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 2% bottomland forests, 3% pine/hardwood, 30% pine, 7% upland hardwood | 99% non-industrial, 1% industrial | Volume-based supply contracts with 80 wood dealers sourcing from 35 to 40 sawmill |
7 | 400,000–500,000 | 70% primary fiber (pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs), 10% harvest residuals | 20% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 100% pine | 50% non-industrial, 40% industrial, 10% public | 40% with landowners, 20–30% from wood dealers. The remainder is from sawmills and/or in-woods chips |
8 | 400,000–500,000 | 70% primary fiber (pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs), 10% harvest residuals | 20% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 100% pine | Non-industrial, 40% industrial, 10% public | 40% with landowners 20–30% from wood dealers. The remainder is from sawmills and/or in-woods chips |
9 | 400,000–500,000 | 20% primary fiber (pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs) | 80% residuals | + 90% pine, ~ 10% hardwood | 85% non-industrial, 12% industrial, 3% public | 100% from wood dealers |
10 | 200,000–300,000 | Roundwood (respondent considers roundwood a residual when it comes from thinnings), harvest residuals | 100% secondary residuals from wood processing facilities | Pine and mixed pine/hardwood | Vertically integrated sourcing primarily from company owned lands, other private lands, and occasionally public | Does not source from wood dealers, primarily because independent wood dealers do not have chain of custody |
11 | 100,000–200,000 | – | 100% secondary residuals from wood processing facilities | Pine, upland hardwood/pine | 70% non-industrial, 25% industrial, 5% public | 60 sawmills, 10 non-sawmill secondary processors. None of the supply is under long-term contracts. |
12 | 200,000–300,000 | 50% primary fiber (pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs). | 50% secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | Pine, upland hardwood/pine | 70% non-industrial, 25% industrial, 5% public | 60 sawmills, 10 non-sawmill secondary processors. None of the supply is under long-term contracts |
13 | 100,000–200,000 | – | 100% secondary residuals from wood processing facilities | Pine, upland hardwood/pine | 70% non-industrial, 25% industrial, 5% public | 60 sawmills, 10 non-sawmill secondary processors. None of the supply is under long-term contracts |
14 | 50,000–100,000 | – | 100% secondary residuals from wood processing facilities | Pine, upland hardwood/pine | 70% non-industrial, 25% industrial, 5% public | Sawmills and non-sawmill secondary processors from a multi-state area |
15 | 100,000–200,000 | – | 100% secondary residuals from wood processing facilities | Pine, upland hardwood/pine | 70% non-industrial, 25% industrial, 5% public | Sawmills and non-sawmill secondary processors from a multi-state area |
16 | 500,000–600,000 | 80% pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs; 20% tree tops from pine plantations | – | 100% pine | 100% industrial | 100% under contract with a single landowner |
17 | 700,000–800,000 | Primary fiber (pulpwood size roundwood as tree-length logs and in-woods chips) | Secondary residuals (sawmill residuals) | 92% pine, 8% hardwood | 30% industrial, 70% non-industrial | 32 sawmills, in-woods chips from 3 wood dealers, tree-length roundwood under contract with 3 industrial landowners, secondary residuals from 45 wood dealers |