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Wood in energy generation 2017

Published 24.5.2018
  • In 2017, heating and power plants consumed a total of 20.0 million solid cubic metres (38.5 terawatt-hours) of solid wood fuels, being more than ever before and showing an increase of 2% from the previous year.
  • This growth was based on an increase in burning forest industry by-products and wood residues. In 2017, a total of 11.7 million cubic metres of different types of by-products were burned, being also a new record and showing an increase of 7% from the previous year. Bark was burned the most, and its consumption increased by 5% to 7.7 million cubic metres. Of all by-products, bark accounted for two-thirds. The consumption of sawdusts increased by 12% to 2.8 million cubic metres and that of industrial chips by 5% to 1.2 million cubic metres. Of different wood fuels, the proportionally greatest increase (15%) was seen in the consumption of wood pellets and briquettes, whereas the consumption of recycled wood decreased by 8%.
  • The consumption of forest chips decreased by 3% from the previous year to 7.2 million cubic metres. When measured by volume, forest chips lost their leading position held since 2010, becoming the second most significant solid wood fuel after bark.
  • The use of forest chips decreased by 7% to 4.6 million cubic metres in combined heat and power production, while it increased by 5% to 2.6 million cubic metres in the generation of heat. Together with the forest chips burned in small-scale housing (0.6 mill. m³), the total consumption of forest chips reached 7.8 million cubic metres, being 3% lower than in the previous year.
  • The use of small-sized trees as raw material for forest chips at heating and power plants increased by 4% from the previous year to 4.0 million cubic metres. Instead, the use of logging residues decreased by 9% to 2.3 million cubic metres and that of stumps fell by nearly one-third to 0.5 million cubic metres. The use of large-sized timber as raw material increased to 0.4 million cubic metres.
  • The consumption of solid wood fuels in heating and power plants was the highest in the North Karelia and Central Finland regions. Forest industry by-products were burned the most in the South Karelia region, while forest chips were burned the most in the Uusimaa region.

Press release here

Statistics for 2017 have been updated on 4th December 2018

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