FutureMetrics is the leading consultancy in the wood pellet sector

FutureMetrics provides information, market analysis, operations guidance, and strategic advice to many of the world’s leading companies in the wood pellet sector.

Intelligent Analysis, Operations Guidance, and
Strategic Leadership for the Pellet Sector

FutureMetrics has a unique skill set for providing detailed independent analysis. We combine broad and deep operational expertise, powerful sector focused financial modeling skills, and thought leading market awareness.

FutureMetrics has added a new free dashboard on August 13, 2020 that calculates a Japanese power generator’s ability to pay for pellet fuel based on the difference between their top line revenue and their total cost of generation.
Click on the arrow to go to the free dashboards

  • Advice on all aspects of producing, transporting, and selling pellets

  • Expert guidance and due diligence for potential investors and project developers

  • Operations optimization for pellet plants

  • Strategic analysis and market research

About FutureMetrics
Download a summary of our team and a list of recent projects and clients .

 

Global Pellet Trade Sankey Map. 

FutureMetrics has produced an interactive map showing 2019’s international trade in wood pellets. Click on any exporting or importing country to see where their tonnes of pellets go or where they came from.

 

The map can be accessed for free HERE.

 

Japan’s Coal Power Stations. 

FutureMetrics has produced an interactive map showing all of the operating and new under construction coal fueled power stations in Japan.  There are 133 stations operating with a combined capacity of 46,270 MWs.  There are 15 new coal power plants under construction with a combined capacity of 8,190 MW.

FutureMetrics can produce a similar map for almost any country in the world.  Contact us for details.

The map can be accessed for free HERE.

FutureMetrics Research and Analysis

Major Update for 2020 Available Now

Japan Biomass Outlook:
Overview and analysis in the context of a changing power market

Click HERE for more.

FutureMetrics is a proud member of the President’s Circle of the Forest History Society

FutureMetrics has an agreement with the world’s leading engineering firm for power plant modifications and conversions from coal to wood pellets to offer expert advice.

FutureMetrics Analysis

FREE WHITE PAPERS

Download Here
(June 26, 2020) - A short white paper on the consequences of inaction in dealing with CO2 emissions and climate change:

This “call-to-action” white paper titled “Why the Future May Not Be What It Is Supposed to Be” offers a novel perspective on how increasing concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere may lead to chaos (in a mathematical, ecological, social, and economic sense).

(May 6, 2020) - White paper: "How renewable solid fuel is an important component of the pathway to a more decarbonized future."

This white paper discusses the efficacy of using wood pellets for power generation and explains why the opponents of pellets for power use poorly crafted arguments based on faulty logic.  

(April 15, 2020) - Watch a one-hour webinar on the impacts of Covid-19 on the industrial pellet sector

Click HERE to watch the webinar.

(March 23, 2020) - A white paper titled "The Impact of Covid-19 on the Industrial Wood Pellet Industry"

The covid-19 pandemic is likely to cause a global economic depression.  Many sectors are being and will be strongly negatively affected.  Many people will suffer both from the disease and from the economic fallout.  The magnitude and reach of this crisis is huge and far reaching.  This white paper will focus on one small sector: the industrial wood pellet industry.  How will the pandemic impact the industrial wood pellet industry?  This white paper will provide some thoughts on what may happen.  Click on the “download” button to get the free paper.

(October 28, 2019) - White paper titled "Japan and South Korean Industrial Wood Pellet Markets: Insights into their ability to pay for pellets."
This short white paper provides insight into how the policies do or do not support the power producers’ ability to pay for pellet fuel under sustainable and equitable long-term offtake agreements. Click on the “download here” button above to get the white paper.
(September 3, 2019) - A New Vietnam Pellet Mill Comes Online under the Guidance of FutureMetrics
FutureMetrics is proud to announce that a project that it has guided for over two years is now producing high quality pellets. Under the guidance of FutureMetrics’ operations expert, John Swaan, a new 120,000 metric tonne per year pellet plant located in Binh Dinh province Vietnam has reached the commercial operation stage.  Click on the DOWNLOAD button to see a more complete description and many photographs of the new pellet mill.
Many more free papers are listed on the paper download page.

Interactive Dashboards 

Pellet Supply Chain Carbon Footprint (HTML5)

Open
Valuation Dashboard

Japan pellet users ability to pay for pellet fuel (HTML5).  This dashboard has many inputs for calculating the total cost of generation versus the total revenues from power sales (including feed-in-tariff sales from pellet generated power).  It also shows the expected power plant margins over the 20 year span of the feed-in-tariff.

 

Open
Valuation Dashboard

Japan – Co-firing ratio to meet minimum efficiency standards (HTML5)

 

Open

Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for new build power stations and converted pulverized coal power stations.  Pellet fuel from zero (100% coal) to 100% pellets.  Carbon benefits in avoided tonnes per year of emissions.  LCOE in Dollars, Yen, and Euros.  (HTML5)

Open

FutureMetrics’ Team Members

Dr. Strauss has been named one of the most influential leaders in the biomass sector two years in a row in 2016 and 2017 by Argus Media. William Strauss is the recipient of the 2012 International Excellence in BioEnergy Award.
John Swaan is the recipient of the 2014 International Founders Award. He is the founder of Pacific BioEnergy and producer of the first transatlantic shipment of wood pellets from North America to Europe (1998).
Annette Bossler provides detailed market intelligence on renewable energy policies around the world with a strong focus on Japan.  Annette speaks fluent Japanese. She was the 2013 recipient of the President’s Award from the Maine International Trade Center.

Hannah Campbell is FutureMetrics’ logistics specialist. Hannah brings a military background as an Air Force Academy graduate and logistics specialist as an officer in the Air Force to her work with FutureMetrics. 

Laurenz Schmidt provides rigorous analytic skills to FutureMetrics’ analyses of contemporary wood fiber conversion and densification processes.

Yoshinobu “Yoshi” Kusano provides analysis on Japanese policy and insights into the future of the Japanese markets for wood pellets.

Dr. Strauss speaking in London at the 2017 Argus Biomass Conference about key challenges and opportunities for the pellet industry in the coming years.