Introduction

Data on woodfuel have been obtained from the following sources:

• Sawmill survey and survey of round fencing manufacturers;
• Private sector softwood removals survey and woodfuel suppliers;
• Expert Group on Timber & Trade Statistics estimates.

Estimates of the quantity of recycled wood used for woodfuel are produced by the Wood Recyclers’ Association (www.woodrecyclers.org).

Data on UK pellet production and feedstock are obtained from the survey of UK pellet and briquette production.

For details on roundwood deliveries for woodfuel, see the Sources: other deliveries page.

Figures are published as UK totals.

Data collected

The sawmill survey and survey of round fencing manufacturers included questions asking for the quantity of woodfuel:

• sold to bioenergy,
• sold as firewood and
• used internally for heat/energy.

The survey of UK pellet and briquette production was run for the first time for the collection of 2009 data.  The questionnaire asks for data on the total quantity of pellets and briquettes produced, the source of fibres used, the origin of wood used and product markets.

More information on the survey of UK pellet and briquette production, including copies of the questionnaires sent to businesses in recent years, can be found at Surveys – Forest Research.

Response rates

Response rates for the sawmill survey and survey of round fencing manufacturers are available on the relevant sources pages.

The 2018 survey of UK pellet and briquette production was sent to a total of 14 companies that were believed to manufacture pellets or briquettes. A total of 5 responded, giving a response rate of 36%. The respondents to the survey are estimated to account for around 89% of the total production of pellets and briquettes in the UK in 2018.

Whilst the low response rates to this survey are of some concern, it is believed that many of the non-respondents are not (currently) producing pellets or briquettes. This is reflected in the much higher weighted response rates and the figures produced are believed to give a reasonable estimate of the true level of UK pellet production.

Survey of UK Pellet & Briquette Production Response Rates, 2009-2018

^Notes:

^{1. Response rates are calculated as the number of responses received divided by the number of forms issued.}

^{2. Weighted response rates are an estimate of the proportion of total UK pellet and briquette production that is accounted for by respondents.}

Methodology

Details of the methodology used for the sawmill survey and survey of round fencing manufacturers are available on the relevant sources pages.

For the survey of UK pellet and briquette production, estimates were made for non-respondents using results from previous surveys and expert advice.

Quality

Detailed information on the pellet survey quality is available in the Quality Report: Survey of UK Pellet & Briquette Production.

Further quality information on our Official Statistics is available at: Quality of Official Statistics – Forest Research.

Revisions

All figures are subject to revision annually, as new information becomes available.

Figures for 2018 are final; provisional figures were previously released in “UK Wood Production and Trade: 2018 provisional figures”.  Figures for 2018 have been revised from those provided in “UK Wood Production and Trade: 2018 provisional figures” to take account of additional returns and quality assurance checks.  This has resulted in a downward revision of 12% to total wood pellet production in 2018.

Further information

Figures for Woodfuel Demand and Usage in Scotland, covering actual and potential use of woodfuel in the commercial, industrial and electrical energy sectors, are produced annually by Scottish Forestry and available at https://forestry.gov.scot/publications/forests-and-the-environment/climate-change/woodfuel-and-bio-energy.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (previously the Department of Energy and Climate Change) publishes an annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes).  Chapter 7 of this digest covers renewable sources of energy including wood.  Figures for wood use in renewable energy statistics take into account wood from all sources (including processed wood, recycled wood and imports), not just UK-grown roundwood.

Release schedule

Provisional figures for 2019 will be released on 14 May 2020 in “UK Wood Production and Trade: 2019 provisional figures”.

Final figures for 2019 will be released on 24 September 2020 in “Forestry Statistics 2020” and “Forestry Facts & Figures 2020”.

Additional resources

Chapter 2: UK-Grown Timber