EU Wood Pellet Imports After Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Russia and the United States have long been the European Union’s (EU) two largest suppliers of wood pellets, a biomass product used to generate electricity or heat. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, however, the EU has announced import bans on many goods from Russia, including wood pellets. EU imports of wood pellets from Russia then plummeted to almost zero. This briefing examines the impact of the discontinuation of EU wood pellet imports from Russia; the EU’s main replacement source, the United States; and the main destination for Russian wood pellets post-EU sanctions, South Korea.