Demand for forest energy has grown to record highs in Finland. The high demand has also come as a surprise to many forest owners. In some places, you can already get the same price for energy wood as for fiber wood used in the pulp industry, which has traditionally had clearly better price. Especially the end of Russian wood chips and the energy crisis have led to this situation.
Average prices can be checked online
You can follow the development of the price of energy wood on the website of the Natural Resources Institute Finland. Prices are reported quarterly, and prices can also be viewed by province, trading method and type of energy wood. Prices have been recorded since 2014, and the latest prices are from second quarter of 2022.
The statistics show that since 2014, prices have risen steadily in both standing sales and delivery sales.
Delivery sales
- Year 2014, unpruned stems, 20,96 e/m³
- Year 2020, unpruned stems, 23,01 e/m³
- Year 2022, unpruned stems, 25,97 e/m³
This means that the price has increased about 24 % in 8 years in delivery sales.
Standing sales
- Year 2014, unpruned stems, 1,11 e/m³
- Year 2020, unpruned stems, 3,55 e/m³
- Year 2022, unpruned stems, 4,33 e/m³
This means that the price has nearly quadrupled in 8 years in standing sales.
Demand all over Finland
There is now a lot of demand for energy wood in the industry, even in areas where the demand has been very low in the past. For example, in Eastern Finland, in addition to the market situation, competition for biomass is also reflected in the demand and price level. Also, the fact that many forest owners have not yet woken up to the increased possibilities of energy wood creates a scarcity of energy wood and raises prices.
Wood harvesting and the growth or energy wood industry are of course accompanied by KX-Treeshears energy wood grapples.