Pellet Fuels Institute Board Meeting

Pellet Fuels Institute Board & Conference VIP Appreciation Night*

*By Invitation Only

Golf Breakfast in Golf Clubhouse

Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Golf Tournament

Location: The Meadows Course 

Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Conference Opening Reception

Breakfast

Exhibits

Welcome

Tim Portz, Executive Director, Pellet Fuels Institute

A Statistical Review of Wood Pellet Manufacturing in the United States and the World

Wood pellet manufacturers rely on accurate data to inform production decisions, constantly adjusting to the marketplace dynamics to position themselves for success. This now traditional opening panel will offer attendees a data-rich review of both domestic and global wood pellet markets from the last year. How did a return to colder temperatures impact production and sales? Did winter also return to heating markets in Europe? These presentations frame up the state of the global wood pellet sector and provides context for the discussions to follow.  

Speakers: 
Connor Murphy, U.S. Energy Information Administration
Gilles Gauthier, Hawkins Wright

Tracing the Effort to Drive Solid Fuel Combustion Out of Space Heating

Despite the economic and environmental contributions the sector makes, wood pellet heating has its detractors. These detractors are vocal, organized and seemed intent on eliminating solid fuel heating from the suite of options consumers can choose from to heat their homes and businesses.  This panel will explore the motivations for this opposition, the approaches being deployed to constrict the market and the industry’s best counters to protect the wood pellet marketplace for heating seasons to come.  

Lew McCreery, U.S. Forest Service 
John Crouch, Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association 
Additional Speakers TBA

Networking Break

The Marketplace and Policy Dynamics Impacting Our Upstream Fiber Partners

The relationship between wood pellet manufacturers and the sawmills and wood product manufacturers they rely upon for fiber is well understood. Still, the variables that impact each side of the relationship are entirely different. Housing starts and interest rates are felt acutely by sawmills, while wood pellet producers rely on cold temperatures and appliance installations to drive sales. This panel discussion will offer attendees an opportunity to catch up with the broader hardwood segment, their opportunities and challenges and the remedies they are pursuing in DC.  

Dana Cole, Hardwood Federation 
Joe McNeel, Appalachian Hardwood Center, WVU

Additional Speakers TBA 

Federal Advocacy for Wood Pellet and Hearth Interests in the Trump 2.0 Era

The 119th Congress and the second Trump administration offer considerable opportunity and risk for the wood pellet and broader forest products sectors. This conversation will dive into the federal policy and regulatory matters that impact our businesses including the Farm Bill, tariffs, appliance tax credits, stove testing and more. Attendees will hear how conversation with policy makers went during the spring fly-in, the status of wood pellet advocacy and the work still to do in the back half of the year.  

Pat Rita, Orion Advocates 
Jason Tolleson, Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association 

Networking Lunch

Perspectives from Our Downstream Appliance and Retail Partners

Retailers of all kinds sit between wood pellet manufacturers and the consumers who utilize their fuel. This panel conversation will feature a roundtable of appliance manufacturers, retailers and those responsible for advocating for them both. Topical discussions will include marketplace dynamics, the impact of tax credits, the outcome of the 2024-25 heating season and its impact on their businesses and a close look at consumer attitudes about pellet heating.

Speakers TBA

Industry Roundtable: The PFI’s Annual Conversation with Its Producer Members

This annual conversation with PFI pellet-producing members features representation from well over 75% of the installed heating and cooking pellet production in the United States. As such, the discussion offers and unparalleled opportunity to learn about marketplace conditions for wood pellet manufacturers, what the return of cold temperatures meant to their businesses and how they’ll approach summertime inventory building as they eye the 2025-26 heating season. This candid conversation is a conference highlight for good reason.  

Cameron Merrick, Somerset Pellet Fuel
Brett Jordan, Lignetics
Ben Rose, Michigan Wood Fuels
Stephen Faehner, American Wood Fibers

Networking Break