As the demand for wood pellets has increased in EU member states, so has a multi-pronged examination of the environmental effects of establishing a transatlantic trade in wood pellets between the U.S. and Europe. However, the nature of industrial wood pellet supply chains is poorly understood or little known. This work aimed to understand the feedstock sourcing strategies being used by the wood pellet industry in the southeast U.S., commonly applied approaches to documenting sustainability of these feedstocks, and drivers operating behind related developments. This study used structured interviews of sustainability managers and procurement staff at pellet mills comprising 75% of the U.S. industrial pellet sector. The industry was classified into types of supply chains, based on the role of loggers, wood dealers, sawmills, and other wood product facilities in the supply chains. Additional classifications examined feedstock types and origins, number and type of suppliers, contractual relationships with suppliers, applied procurement systems, risk assessment and due-diligence methodologies, risk mitigation procedures, and supply chain certifications. Three main types of supply chains were identified within the U.S. industrial pellet sector, differentiated based on features of feedstock procurement, risk assessment procedures, and risk management. The study observed a slight shift toward using a higher proportion of wood residuals as feedstock in some of the larger pellet mills. Policy requirements, customer orders, and external pressures were driving the sector’s adoption of sustainability programs, with risk assessments and wood procurement procedures aligned to policy requirements. The strength of a risk-based approach to sustainability documentation depends on the quality of source data on risks within a sourcing area, scale of analysis, and integration of risk assessments into procurement practices. Some risk categories are more difficult to assess and control. Challenges increase with increasing number and diversity of supply chain actors and depend on the nature of agreements between these entities for the conveyance of feedstocks to pellet mills. Fiber procurement is similar to pulpwood-using industries, but extending the risk assessment to residuals is complicated and challenging to the sector. The study identified a number of strategies in use within pellet mill supply chains for dealing with these challenges.

中文翻译：

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评估满足欧洲能源需求的美国工业木材颗粒工业的木材采购实践

随着欧盟成员国对木屑颗粒需求的增长，对在美国和欧洲之间建立跨大西洋木屑颗粒贸易的环境影响进行了多方面的研究。但是，对工业木屑颗粒供应链的性质了解甚少或鲜为人知。这项工作旨在了解美国东南部木材颗粒工业正在使用的原料采购策略，记录这些原料可持续性的常用方法以及相关发展背后的驱动因素。这项研究使用了对占美国工业颗粒行业75％的制粒厂可持续发展经理和采购人员的结构化访谈。根据伐木者，木材经销商，锯木厂，以及供应链中的其他木材产品设施。其他分类检查了原料类型和来源，供应商的数量和类型，与供应商的合同关系，适用的采购系统，风险评估和尽职调查方法，风险缓解程序以及供应链认证。在美国工业颗粒行业中，确定了三种主要的供应链类型，根据原料采购，风险评估程序和风险管理的特点进行了区分。研究发现，在一些较大的制粒厂中，向使用较高比例的木材残渣作为原料略有转变。政策要求，客户订单和外部压力正在推动该行业采用可持续发展计划，风险评估和木材采购程序符合政策要求。基于风险的可持续性记录方法的优势取决于采购区域内风险的源数据的质量，分析规模以及将风险评估整合到采购实践中。一些风险类别更加难以评估和控制。随着供应链参与者数量的增加和多样性的增加，挑战也日益增加，并且取决于这些实体之间关于将原料输送到制粒厂的协议的性质。纤维采购与使用纸浆的行业相似，但是将风险评估扩展到残留物对该行业来说是复杂且具有挑战性的。该研究确定了制粒厂供应链中使用的许多策略来应对这些挑战。基于风险的可持续性记录方法的优势取决于采购区域内风险的源数据的质量，分析规模以及将风险评估整合到采购实践中。一些风险类别更加难以评估和控制。随着供应链参与者数量的增加和多样性的增加，挑战也日益增加，并且取决于这些实体之间关于将原料输送到制粒厂的协议的性质。纤维采购与使用纸浆的行业相似，但是将风险评估扩展到残留物对于该行业而言是复杂且具有挑战性的。该研究确定了制粒厂供应链中使用的许多策略来应对这些挑战。基于风险的可持续性记录方法的优势取决于采购区域内风险的源数据的质量，分析规模以及将风险评估整合到采购实践中。一些风险类别更加难以评估和控制。随着供应链参与者数量的增加和多样性的增加，挑战也日益增加，并且取决于这些实体之间关于将原料输送到制粒厂的协议的性质。纤维采购与使用纸浆的行业相似，但是将风险评估扩展到残留物对于该行业而言是复杂且具有挑战性的。该研究确定了制粒厂供应链中使用的许多策略来应对这些挑战。