Wood pellets or briquettes for heating are now on sale for up to 20% cheaper than before. It pays to order fuel in advance for the whole winter, because pellets and briquettes will certainly not be cheaper this year. Pellets currently cost an average of CZK 7.30 per kilo if they are loose, and CZK 7.60 per kilo for bagged pellets.
This May, pellets reached their lowest price in the last two years. The price of pellets has been falling since October 2022, when, like other fuels, there was a short fluctuation in pellet prices caused by the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. Since then, the price has been continuously falling and has now reached its lowest point in May: CZK 7.30 per kilo.
“In autumn, pellets will certainly be 15-20% more expensive than now. Therefore, we recommend it to everyone who they have a large enough store at home to supply themselves for the whole winter already,” recommended Vladimír Stupavský, chairman of the national association Klastr Česká peleta.
Spring pellet prices
Why are pellets so cheap in May? Pellets are made from sawdust, which is produced on sawmills when wood is cut from our Czech forests. There is the most sawdust in the spring and summer, because logs are intensively mined and processed. But it doesn’t heat up anymore. How do pellet manufacturers deal with it?
“To keep production lines running even as the heating season ends, wood pellet prices are falling. It is an annual financial incentive and thanks to this, pellet sales run throughout the year and producers’ warehouses do not overflow.” explains Vladimír Stupavský.
Those who have built a large enough warehouse that can hold a supply of fuel for the whole winter will make the most from the spring prices of pellets or briquettes. The current prices of pellets at various sellers are displayed in the national database Koupitpelety.cz. People can easily find suppliers there according to the location where they want to deliver pellets.
Who are the pellets worth?
What is the best way to compare different types of heating? It’s not always easy. That is why Klastr Česká peleta has prepared an online cost calculator on its website www.ceska-peleta.cz. For each fuel and different types of boilers, this calculator converts the price per kilowatt hour.
A lot also depends on the efficiency of the heat source. You burn much more fuel in an old wood-burning boiler than in a modern wood-gasifier. Therefore, everyone can enter the specific efficiency of their boiler into the calculator and thus find out if a new one would be worthwhile.
Watch out for boiler replacements this year
Even those who are just about to buy a pellet boiler can order pellets for stock. Quality pellets are always marked with the round ENplus stamp. “This international certification guarantees the highest quality and also a high calorific value. Low-quality pellets may be cheaper, but you’ll burn more and you can ruin your burner.” warns Vladimír Stupavský.
People shouldn’t have to wait too long to order a boiler and book an appointment with a local heating engineer this year. In September, the ban on old non-ecological boilers that fall into the 1st and 2nd emission class will come into effect. “The heating engineers will have their work cut out for them, because about 150,000 of these boilers remain to be replaced. If this applies to you, you can easily find out on the label on the back of your boiler.” concludes Stupavský. The contact of the nearest heating engineer can be found on the website Topenaridotace.cz.
source: press release
