Bio pellets can be made from a variety of organic materials, including:
- Wood waste: sawdust, shavings, chips, and bark from sawmills, furniture manufacturers, and other wood processing industries
- Agricultural waste: straw, corn stalks, sugarcane bagasse, and other crop residues
- Food waste: peels, shells, and other organic waste from food processing
- Manure: from livestock, poultry, and other farm animals
- Energy crops: switchgrass, willow, poplar, and other fast-growing plants grown specifically for energy production
- Municipal solid waste: paper, yard waste, and other organic waste from households and communities
The selection of raw materials depends on their availability and cost, as well as their energy content, which affects the heating value of the resulting pellets. The quality of the raw materials also impacts the quality of the final product, so the factory often uses a combination of materials to achieve the desired characteristics.