Prices for a waste-wood product are soaring as Russia's war in Ukraine upends supplies and stokes a US export surge

Russia's war in Ukraine has made it harder for Western Europe to get essential waste wood from the US.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, wood-pellets are being held up and causing prices to go up. The US has exported more waste wood this year than at the same time last year. The US has moved 7.4 million metric tons of pellets.

Western Europe uses waste-wood instead of coal to produce energy.

Companies are taking advantage of the constraints on supplies. The S&P 500 gained 42% in the same period, but shares of Enviva Inc., based in Maryland, have gained 114%.

The war in Ukraine resulted in a loss of supply. 3 million tonnes need to be replaced. The company signed a number of new deals with German customers. In Europe, natural gas and oil have gone up in price.

Environmentalists say that using coal for energy is cleaner than burning wood pellet.