Belarusian pellet production capacity was built with the European Union market in mind. After sanctions were imposed on wood-industry products, producers lost their primary outlet, and the state began creating domestic demand.
The instrument became Presidential Decree No. 475 of 30 December 2024: citizens are reimbursed 40% of the cost of a pellet boiler, but no more than the equivalent of 120 base units. The condition is fundamental — the device must be manufactured in Belarus or in EAEU countries. The payment procedure was detailed by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 346 of 23 June 2025, and the mechanism began on 1 July 2025; compensation is available once for one residential building.
The trend shows that the solution is working. Pellet consumption increased from 44 thousand tonnes in 2024 to 72 thousand tonnes in 2025, with a level of 130 thousand tonnes set for 2026. Household purchases rose over the year from 1.84 thousand to 4.8 thousand tonnes, although firewood still accounts for around 87% of household heating. The direction was set out in the 2026–2030 state programme “Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency”.
What does this mean in practice?
The EAEU-origin requirement for equipment closes this programme to European boiler manufacturers, while sanctions restrictions isolate Belarusian pellets from the EU market. The practical value of this case lies elsewhere: it shows the pace at which household demand for pellets grows when the state subsidises a switch to this fuel — and a similar scenario is currently developing in Moldova.
Sources: president.gov.by; Department for Energy Efficiency of the Republic of Belarus; Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus