Argus Biomass Markets
Weekly prices, news and analysis for global industrial wood pellets, wood chips and palm kernel shells across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.
Overview
Argus Biomass Markets is a weekly report covering the global woody biomass markets that provides price assessments, news and analysis focused on industrial and premium wood pellets, wood chips and palm kernel shells (PKS).
The Argus teams in London, Singapore and Tokyo collects and assesses spot and forward prices and freight rates in Europe, Asia and North America, while providing news, market commentaries and analytical tools.
At a glance
- Weekly prices for wood pellets, wood chips and PKS.
- Daily newsfeed and in-depth commentaries.
- Coverage across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.
- Freight rates for trans-Atlantic and European coaster routes.
- Break-even power prices for pellet-, gas- and coal-fired plants.
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Key features
Industrial pellet prices
Weekly spot indexes and forward curves for industrial wood pellets on a cif Northwest Europe (NWE), fob Baltic, fob Portugal, fob Vietnam to Japan, fob Vietnam to South Korea and cfr Gwangyang basis.
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Premium pellet prices
Weekly EN plus A1-grade wood pellet prices for delivery to northern Italy in bulk and bags.
Wood chip prices
Weekly spot indexes and forward curve for cif NWE industrial wood chips.
PKS prices
Weekly spot indexes for industrial PKS loaded in Malaysia and Indonesia for use by Japanese biomass-fired power plants receiving feed-in tariffs (FITs).
Market news and analysis
In-depth reporting on supply, demand, trade flows, weather and policy developments shaping biomass markets worldwide.
Freight rates
Spot cargo freight indications for different vessel sizes travelling trans-Atlantic and European coaster routes, including Aveiro-ARA, Riga-ARA, Mobile-ARA and Savannah-ARA.
Break-even power prices
Calculated generation costs for European pellet-, coal- and gas-fired power plants at different efficiencies to analyse potential fuel-switching.
European premium pellet prices
EN plus A1-grade wood pellet prices for bulk and bagged delivery to northern Italy, with monthly index data and spot mid, low and high price ranges.
How Argus assesses biomass prices
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Market-reflective methodology
Assessments reflect how biomass markets trade, using industry conventions for currencies, volumes, locations and delivery terms to capture real market value. -
Multi-source survey process
Argus reporters poll producers, consumers and intermediaries for market data, accepting submissions by telephone, email and electronic trading platforms. -
Data hierarchy and usage
Assessments prioritise transactions, followed by bids, offers and other market intelligence, ensuring reliable and representative price data. -
Transaction data verification
Reporters verify the price, volume, specification and counterparty of each transaction, applying standard tests to identify and exclude anomalous data. -
Assessment in illiquid markets
Where transaction data is scarce, reporters assess price using bids, offers, spreads and fundamental market information through a rigorous, replicable process.
Who uses this service
Power generators and utilities
- Index contracts to Argus prices, including its benchmark cif NWE industrial wood pellet spot assessment.
- Monitor spot and forward pellet prices to support fuel procurement and hedging.
- Analyse fuel optimisation with supply tracking and generation economics.
Biomass producers and suppliers
- Identify target markets and sales opportunities.
- Track price movements across key export origins to benchmark production costs.
- Monitor demand signals and trade flows to support forward supply planning.
Traders and brokers
- Access spot and forward price assessments to negotiate and price bilateral trades.
- Identify arbitrage opportunities across Atlantic basin and Asia-Pacific markets.
- Track freight indications to assess delivered cost competitiveness by route.
Industrial and commercial fuel buyers
- Compare wood pellet and wood chip costs against competing fuels.
- Monitor forward curves to support long-term supply contract negotiations.
- Track market news to manage procurement risk in volatile energy markets.
Frequently asked questions
Key price assessments
Argus Biomass Markets publishes weekly spot and forward price assessments for industrial wood pellets, wood chips and palm kernel shells across Europe, Asia and North America.