New England (MA, CT, ME, NH, VT, RI) Has anyone heard of 2019-2020 pellet shortages?

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planeman125

New Member
Feb 25, 2019
24
Rhode Island
I’ve heard a bit from some pellet manufacturers that pellet supply is short this year and everyone is increasing price across the board. Anyone else heard anything similar?
My company just took in 1000+ tons with a good early buy deal to combat raising prices
 
Paid for mine in May same price as last year (4.5 Ton)
to be delivered when I call in Sept/Oct
no word on a major increase
 
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I just called my local guy today and it was $30 more than last year. $300 for northerns. Prices are up for some reason.
 
Just bought 3 tons of Somersets at Tractor Supply in Harrison, Ohio $190 a ton.
looked at the manufacturing tag and they were made on 7/29/19. talk about fresh!!! 2 days old including shipping :eek:
 
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190 high? Ask NJ people...we pay for the ton 240 at Tractor suprise
 
Teddyb said:
Just curious, why are prices so high for you guys in the north east,no pellet plants close or what.
Click to expand...

Everything is expensive. I pay 21 cents per kwh for electric. Propane and natural gas are about 40% more expensive than midwest. 3-4% tax per year on my car's BB value. Trying to figure out how to escape...
 
Escape?
Well...its possible, but not cheap or easy...
First...reduce what you need...sound easy but its not.
Get a house blower door test done and after the findings, go for air sealing the house...(windows/doors etc...they will tell you)
Beef up insulation(better outsulation) if possible in same run(https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/installing-roxul-mineral-wool-on-exterior-walls)
The Passive house standard is a good route to go, but pretty strict and hard to retrofit.
Trace down all your electrical need and reduce the amount needed...led's, high efficient devices, no standby, no power adapters online all day, ac only on need (passive house again)
Check your heating system...try to get one or run it on lowest temp...and if possible go with floor radiant...
And so on...this is just a short glimps where the travel goes...i am on same path right now
 
Darkwing said:
Escape?
Click to expand...

I'm here for work, I didn't grow up here and it doesn't really feel like home.

Darkwing said:
Well...its possible, but not cheap or easy...
First...reduce what you need...sound easy but its not.
Get a house blower door test done and after the findings, go for air sealing the house...(windows/doors etc...they will tell you)
Beef up insulation(better outsulation) if possible in same run(https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/installing-roxul-mineral-wool-on-exterior-walls)
The Passive house standard is a good route to go, but pretty strict and hard to retrofit.
Trace down all your electrical need and reduce the amount needed...led's, high efficient devices, no standby, no power adapters online all day, ac only on need (passive house again)
Check your heating system...try to get one or run it on lowest temp...and if possible go with floor radiant...
And so on...this is just a short glimps where the travel goes...i am on same path right now
Click to expand...

All good advice and I've done about everything on that list. We heat very conservatively. 68 - 70 degrees in the main living area. 55 in bedrooms at night. We don't heat the basement. Rarely use the window A/C. Hot water is electric unfortunately. No natural gas. Oil prices are volitile. Propane and on-demand hot water don't appear to save money in reality. We average $200/mo for electric for 1500sqft. 2.5 tons of pellets per year to keep 1000sqft around 68-70 degrees 18 hours per day.
 
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So if your ACH50 comes back above 2, then there is still good options to fight.
on demand water DOES safe...its just a question how you life...
For as an example: We dont use warm water in bathroom sinks...it just takes to long to get there...your fingers would be shriveled to grandmas optic before you get it...circulation is just a waste anyway, so we spare that.we shower pretty much every day 1x mostly together(wife and i) and i dont know how people can do it, but i never even reach 10 min shower time...
So my hot water probably goes 2 min at max on a day...compared to 24/7 before keeping a darn tank on temperature which was located in the garage...who in the world does design that? It belongs into the warmest place in the house...not the coldest...well...
But the most savings you get from air sealing...if air cannot escape the top of the house, it will not suck cold air into the bottom and so on...keeps the warmth inside...
 
planeman125 said:
I think it has to do with shipping them here. However, even the pellets that are made in Vermont are still around the same price. Geographic market inflation i guess
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They know what the market will bear here based on propane and oil prices. You’ll hear the usual reasons, such as transportation costs are up, gate fees are up, etc., but it’s simply supply and demand. If the Northeast had lower propane prices like the Midwest or heating oil prices dropped significantly, so would pellet prices eventually.
 
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Farm store has a sale for 225 a ton for junk pellets. Not even carrying pro pellets. I think the days of 200 a ton or less are over. I have yet to check with the masonry shop but I’ll likely be stocking up from there soon.
 
Central NH, got Maine Wood Pellets at $250/ton delivered. Last year got Clean Fire pellets
delivered at $300 +/- ton, but they don't deliver this far North in state this year. I see
lots of pallets stockpiled in Lumber Yards this year.
 
Teddyb said:
Just curious, why are prices so high for you guys in the north east,no pellet plants close or what.
Click to expand...
Depends on where you are. There are pellet plants in northern New England, but they don't distribute as far south as Connecticut. My dealer gave up on Okanagans, which are manufactured in BC, because shipping across the continent just got too expensive. It's a shame, because they were great pellets, lots of heat and very little ash. The alternate brand the dealer gave us for our third ton last season did not perform nearly as well. He gave me a "discount" last month to get rid of his last three tons of Okanagan, and it still came to $1200 delivered. The performance will be worth it, but I am dreading the following season, when we will have to switch to some other brand.
 
masterofsense666 said:
Central NH, got Maine Wood Pellets at $250/ton delivered. Last year got Clean Fire pellets
delivered at $300 +/- ton, but they don't deliver this far North in state this year. I see
lots of pallets stockpiled in Lumber Yards this year.
Click to expand...

MWP's from local TSC is at $224.99 until 9/2. Same price I paid last year at this time. I have picked up 3 tons and have 1 more ton on law-away. Local Aubuchon's looks like it has about the same prices as last year for its GS's and Oakie's (way to much as usual, for what they are).
 
planeman125 said:
I’ve heard a bit from some pellet manufacturers that pellet supply is short this year and everyone is increasing price across the board. Anyone else heard anything similar?
My company just took in 1000+ tons with a good early buy deal to combat raising prices
Click to expand...

If you look back at the archived posts, we always hear there is going to be a shortage of some sort and the prices will rise due to the usual suspects. I just can’t figure out why those in the West can get softwood Douglas Fir pellets cheaper than we in the Northeast pay for pine softwood pellets. It’s like we have the 1%’ers of trees surrounding us.
 
Here in North Jersey we get Stove Chow from HomeDepot for 219 the ton (if take 6 or more)
Grouped with Neighbors to get that amount together
 
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