A group that promotes using wood pellets for heating fuel wants the province and private businesses to do more to help the industry.

Right now, wood pellet plants in eastern Canada send most of their products overseas to Europe, but the economic downturn there is hurting local production.

Instead, Atlantic Canada's wood pellet industry is pushing to increase its share of the domestic market.

"It's the logical and natural green heat option for the Atlantic region. We grow lots of trees, we have a large forest industry and we need the jobs," said Bruce McCallum of the Bioenergy Association.

Newfoundland and Labrador's government has attempted to spur wood pellet sales with the introduction of a rebate on new stoves for homeowners. McCallum wants the industry to crack the commercial market too.

"We need to see many businesses and institutions taking advantage of the savings pellets can offer in bulk – today are roughly half the cost of heating oil,” he said.