Production of energy and use of fossil fuels in decline in 2011

Domestic production of electricity amounted to 70.4 TWh. Production decreased by nine per cent from the previous year. The production of district heat decreased by 13 per cent and that of industrial heat by four per cent in 2011. The use of fossil fuels in the production of electricity and heat decreased by 21 per cent and the use of peat by 12 per cent. By contrast, the use of renewable fuels increased by three per cent and exceeded the use of fossil fuels. These data derive from the statistics on the production of electricity and heat compiled by Statistics Finland.

Use of fuels in electricity and heat production 2010–2011

In 2011, production of electricity in Finland amounted to 70.4 terawatt hours (TWh) or billion kilowatt hours (kWh). Production decreased by nine per cent from the previous year. Total electricity consumption diminished by four per cent and amounted to 84.2 TWh. Of the total electricity consumption, 84 per cent was covered by domestic production and 16 per cent by net imports of electricity from Russia, the Nordic countries and Estonia. Net imports of electricity increased by 32 per cent due to the improved water situation in the Nordic countries. The cold weather in the early part of the year and high capacity utilisation rates in manufacturing kept the demand for electricity high. In the autumn, in turn, the demand for electricity was lower than at the beginning of the year due to the exceptionally mild weather and the waning growth of manufacturing caused by the euro crisis.

Altogether 33 per cent of electricity produced in Finland was produced with renewable energy sources. Around one-half of this was produced with hydro power and almost all of the remainder with wood. Thirty-two per cent of the production of electricity was covered with nuclear power, 27 per cent with fossil fuels and seven per cent with peat. The amounts of electricity produced with fossil fuels and peat decreased from the previous year. The biggest decrease was seen in electricity produced with coal.

Electricity and heat production by production mode in 2011

	Electricity, TWh	District heat, TWh	Industrial heat, TWh	Total fuels used, PJ ¹⁾
Separate production of electricity
- Hydro power	12.3	–	–	–
- Wind power	0.5	–	–	–
- Nuclear power	22.3	–	–	–
- Condensing power ²⁾	9.8	–	–	100.4
- Total	44.8	–	–	100.4
Combined heat and power production	25.5	26.0	44.8	426.0
Separate heat production	–	8.0	7.8	68.4
Total production	70.4	34.0	52.6	594.8
Net imports of electricity	13.9	–	–	–
Total	84.2	34.0	52.6	594.8

1) In calculating total primary energy used, hydro power, wind power and net imports of electricity are made commensurate with fuels according to directly obtained electricity (3.6 PJ/TWh). Total nuclear energy used is calculated at the efficiency ratio of 33 per cent from produced nuclear power (10.91 PJ/TWh).
2) Condensing power includes condensing power plants, shares of condensing electricity of combined heat and power production plants, and peak gas turbines and similar separate electricity production plants.

Production of district heat amounted to 34.0 TWh in 2011. Production decreased by 13 per cent from the previous year. The consumption of district heat diminished from the previous year as the autumn was exceptionally mild according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute. More than half of the district heat was produced with fossil fuels, although the amount of district heat produced with fossil fuels decreased by almost 20 per cent from the previous year. The individual fuel that was used most in the production of district heat was natural gas.

Production of industrial heat amounted to 56.2 TWh in 2011. Production decreased by four per cent from the previous year. As in the previous years, lower than normal amounts of industrial heat were used. Over 60 per cent of the heat used by industry was produced with renewable fuels. The individual fuel that was used most was black liquor from the forest industry.

The statistics on the production of electricity and heat cover almost the entire production of electricity connected to the grid. Solar electricity has not yet been added to the statistics. The statistics do not cover small district heating plants or the heat production of small industrial enterprises.

Links:

Statistics Finland's inquiry on production of electricity and heat

Finnish Energy Industries

Source: Statistics on production of electricity and heat, Statistics Finland and Electricity statistics, Finnish Energy Industries

Inquiries: Minna Niininen 09 1734 3549, energia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Leena Storgårds

Publication in pdf-format (392.9 kB)

Reviews

Electricity and heat production and fuels 2011 (16.10.2012)

Tables

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Appendix tables

Appendix table 1. Electricity and heat production by production mode and fuel in 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix table 2. Fuel use in electricity and heat production, TJ (16.10.2012)
Appendix table 3. Production and total consumption of electricity, GWh (16.10.2012)
Appendix table 4. District heat production, GWh (16.10.2012)
Appendix table 5. Industrial heat production, GWh (16.10.2012)

Figures

Appendix figure 1. Electricity generation by energy sources 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 2. Electricity generation by energy type 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 3. Electricity generation by production mode 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 4. Electricity generation with renewables 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 5. Electricity generation with renewables 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 6. Heat production 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 7. District heat production by fuels 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 8. Industrial heat production by fuels 2000 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 9. Fuel use by production mode in electricity and heat production 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 10. Fuel use in electricity and heat production 2010 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 11. Fuel use in separate electricity production 2010 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 12. Fuel use in combined heat and power production 2010 - 2011 (16.10.2012)
Appendix figure 13. Fuel use in separate heat production 2010 - 2011 (16.10.2012)

Updated 18.10.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Production of electricity and heat [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-5099. 2011. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 21.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/salatuo/2011/salatuo_2011_2012-10-16_tie_001_en.html