Emerging Biomass Industry: Impact on Wood Fiber Markets

PLEASE NOTE - RISI's multi-client study, Emerging Biomass Industry: Impact on Wood Fiber Markets was published in late 2008. While much of the information and analysis contained within this study retains it's value - the following RISI products contain updated information on the topics listed.

• Biomass Policies - 2010 Wood Biomass Policy Review
• Wood Fiber Supply & Demand outlooks - 15 Year North American Timber Forecast
• Updated Wood Biomass Project information - Wood Biomass Projects Database

If you have any questions about the information contained in the RISI multi-client study, Emerging Biomass Industry: Impact on Wood Fiber Markets, and/or about obtaining more up-to-date information and analysis on North America's Wood Biomass industry, please contact us at wt@risi.com or 866.271.8525.

RISI's mullt-client study - Emerging Biomass Industry: Impact on Wood Fiber Markets, published in late 2008, analyzed the enormous growth in demand for wood fiber that emerged from the biomass industry, looked at how this growth would likely impact wood fiber prices and examined how each sector of the forest products industry was expected to be affected.

The report has helped executives develop answers to questions, such as:

• How significantly will the increase in biomass demand impact residual prices? Can this be a difference maker for struggling lumber mills?
• How will the increasing practice of producers offsetting energy costs by using their residuals as a fuel source affect wood fiber supplies and prices?
• Will panel producers become smaller players in the market for resifual fiber and if so, will they lose their ability to influence pricing for their raw materials?
• North America has seen a surge in development of wood pellet capacity in order to meet expanded demand in Europe - but what is the outlook for future demand for pellets in the US, Europe and Japan?
• Renewable Portfolio Standards and Congressional targets for liquid biofuels will apparently provide a significant boost to wood demand in the US - but how realistic are current (2008) policies and their objectives?

In addition this study will feature analysis of the following topics:

• Regional analysis - detailed review of all major North American producing regions.
• Energy production - a forecast of wood fiber use for energy production by region and sector (pulp, paper, panel, and lumber) - What will demand for wood fiber be from each forest products sector and region?
• Electricity generation facilities - a review of all existing US electricity generation facilities looking at current and potential wood fiber consumption - how much wood fiber is currently being consumed at existing facilities and what is the potential for demand at facilities not currently using wood fiber?
• Wood pellet and liquid biofuels - what is the potential for wood fiber demand from new and existing energy, wood pellet, and liquid biofuels facilities?
Feed stock analysis - comparison of the competitiveness of wood fiber against alternative feed stocks such as agriculture residues and new energy crops - how much energy demand is going to come from wood fiber and how will transportation and storage fees impact prices?
• Exchange rates/oil prices - What is the outlook for global oil prices and exchange rates and how will they effect demand for energy from wood fiber?
• Policy issues - How realistic are current domestic and international government policies and their objectives and how will the final version of these policies drive demand for wood fiber? (updated analysis can be found in RISI's 2010 Wood Biomass Policy Review)
• Demand, supply and prices - an outlook on wood fiber demand, supply and prices, integrating analysis, models, and forecasts from RISI experts in all sectors of the forest products industry..

To learn more about RISI's Timber and Woodfiber analysis products, click here .