Could the wood be threatened? Not really. Of course, the traditional use path with an open fire is increasingly criticized and sometimes banned in view of the pollution it releases. But wood remains the country’s first renewable energy, used by 7 million families, that is to say one in four French people. Logs traditional logs, densified, pellets or granules… wood constitutes a particularly attractive economic and ecological alternative. A price up to 5 times lower than electricity and generally 30% more advantageous than gas.
The heating with wood represents, however, a real budget (count 860 euros per year for a house of 100 m²) and the distribution method remains quite local and punctual. Based on this observation, the company Fioulreduc, which has operated since 2012 a fuel oil ordering website, has chosen to expand its business to wood by launching Boisreduc. “In both cases, the word reduction applies to the price, but also to the idea of ​​better controlling and understanding energy consumption to reduce it.“, underlines Maëlle Ricard, director of operations at Boisreduc.
Less than 20% humidity
In this case, the company does not necessarily claim to offer the lowest price, but rather “the best price according to the location”. It is true that with its network of 41 distribution partners, it only covers half of the territory (18,100 municipalities and 76 departments) waiting to cover three quarters at the end of the year. In the future, the company also plans to offer large orders at reduced prices, as already for fuel oil. At the moment, it tries to distinguish itself by offering as much as possible wood of French and regional origin systematically certified to guarantee a quality product, with low humidity and based on species adapted to its location (hardwood for trunks: oak, carp, elm). , chestnuts, conical wood for pellets). “Quality wood must have less than 20% moisture, reminds Maëlle Ricard. Otherwise, the fuel pollutes more and will clog the boiler, stove or insert.
For the time being, the majority of wood consumption still concerns traditional logs (89%), far ahead of pellets, these wood pellets (10%), chips and other densified logs that fully represent more than 1%. However, it should be noted that the sale of pellets has increased tenfold in the last 10 years and is still far from its potential. But the confinement caused an unprecedented rise in prices, that of pellets almost doubled between the spring of 2021 and the peak of October 2022. Since then, prices have calmed down a bit and are starting to fall again .