Home > Statistics > Production of electricity and heat > 2012 > Share of renewable energy sources in production of electricity and heat grew in 2012

Published: 5 November 2013

Share of renewable energy sources in production of electricity and heat grew in 2012

The production of electricity in Finland amounted to 67.7 TWh in 2012. The production went down by four per cent from the previous year. The production of district heat grew by eight per cent and that of industrial heat remained on level with the previous year. Forty-six per cent of the production of electricity and heat was covered by renewable energy sources. The amounts of electricity and heat produced with renewable energy sources grew from the previous year. The use of fossil fuels and peat decreased as in the year before. These data derive from the statistics on the production of electricity and heat compiled by Statistics Finland.

Electricity and heat production by energy sources 2012

In 2012, the production of electricity in Finland amounted to 67.7 terawatt hours (TWh) or one billion kilowatt hours (kWh). The production went down by four per cent from the previous year. In turn, total electricity consumption went up by one per cent and amounted to 85.1 TWh. Of total electricity consumption, 80 per cent was covered by domestic production and 20 per cent by net imports of electricity from the Nordic countries, Russia and Estonia. Net imports of electricity increased by 26 per cent from the year before due to the good water situation in the Nordic countries. The consumption of electricity rose, although electricity consumption in manufacturing fell, because the early and latter part of the year were slightly colder than usual and the use of electricity to heat buildings grew from the year before.

Altogether 41 per cent of the electricity produced in Finland was produced with renewable energy sources. Over one-half of this was produced with hydro power and almost all of the remainder with wood. Thirty-three per cent of the production of electricity was covered with nuclear power, 21 per cent with fossil fuels and five per cent with peat. The amounts of electricity produced with fossil fuels and peat decreased by nearly one-third from the previous year.

Electricity and heat production by production mode in 2012

	Electricity, TWh	District heat, TWh	Industrial heat, TWh	Fuels used, PJ 1)
Separate production of electricity
- Hydro power	16.7	–	–	–
- Wind power	0.5	–	–	–
- Nuclear power	22.1	–	–	–
- Condensing power 2)	5.2	–	–	54.5
- Total	44.4	–	–	54.5
Combined heat and power production	23.3	26.5	44.9	417.2
Separate heat production	–	10.3	7.7	75.6
Total production	67.7	36.7	52.6	547.3
Net imports of electricity	17.4	–	–	–
Total	85.1	36.7	52.6	547.3

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.

The production of district heat amounted to 36.7 TWh in 2012. The production grew by eight per cent from the previous year. The consumption of district heat rose compared with the previous year, because autumn 2012 was cooler than the previous one. According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, after the exceptionally mild autumn 2011, autumn 2012 was typical.

More than one-half of district heat was produced with fossil fuels. However, the use of renewable fuels in the production of district heat rose by 22 per cent from the previous year, which was caused by the growing use of wood. The fuels that were used most in the production of district heat were natural gas, hard coal, and wood fuels.

The production of industrial heat was 52.6 TWh in 2012. The production went down slightly from the year before. As in the previous years, the use of industrial heat remained at a low level.

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 and other wood fuels.

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 (351.5 kB)

Reviews

• Electricity and heat production and fuels 2012 (5.11.2013)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Electricity and heat production by production mode and fuel in 2012 (5.11.2013)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Electricity generation by energy source 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 2. Electricity generation by energy source 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 3. Electricity generation by production mode 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 4. Electricity generation with renewables 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 5. Electricity generation with renewables 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 6. Heat production 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 7. District heat production by fuels 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 8. Industrial heat production by fuels 2000 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 9. Fuel use by production mode in electricity and heat production 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 10. Fuel use in electricity and heat production 2011 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 11. Fuel use in separate electricity production 2011 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 12. Fuel use in combined heat and power production 2011 - 2012 (5.11.2013)
• Appendix figure 13. Fuel use in separate heat production 2011 - 2012 (5.11.2013)

---

Updated 5.11.2013