Peat energy in Finland

Peat energy in Finland describes peat energy use in Finland. Peat has high global warming emissions and high environmental concerns. It may be compared to brown coal (lignite) or worse than this lowest rank of coal. Peat is the most harmful energy source for global warming in Finland. (Hard coal, which is more harmful, is only used as an emergency back-up source for energy, and not in every year.) According to IEA the Finnish subsidies for peat in 2007-2010 undermined the goal to reduce CO
2 emissions and counteracted other environmental policies and The European Union emissions trading scheme.

According to the national energy statistics the energy use of peat grew in Finland in the 1980s: 1975: 0.5 TWh and 1980 4,7 TWh. The share of peat energy was 19 TWh in 2005 and in the peak year 2007 28.4 TWh. In 2006 the peat energy provided 25.3 TWh which gave 6.2 TWh electricity, 6.1 TWh warming and 4.7 TWh industry heat.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Finland and Ireland are the two main peat fuel users in the world. The regional shares of peat extraction in 2005 for gardening, agricultural and fuel use was : Finland 34%, Ireland 20%, Russia 8%, Belarus 7%, Canada 6%, Ukraine 4%, Sweden 5, Latvia 3%, Estonia 3 %and USA 3%. In the Americas peat was used only for soil improvement and in Finland 90% as fuel.

Finland’s environmental administration has a new project studying water pollution from the peat collection areas. Local people have complained of water pollution. The new studies show 20-fold differences between samples. The EIA counts only the largest particles that are only about 10% of total. The heavy rain showers have been previously ignored. According to evaluations one rain shower could bring as much particles as the rest of the summer.

The accidental large water emission from peat collection area in 1981 in Lestijärvi was an environmental wakeup.

Vapo Oy is the major peat producer in Finland. In 1984 Vapo was 100% owned by Finnish state. Finnforest part of Metsä Group owned 33% of Vapo in 2002-2005 and 49.9% in 2005-2009. In 2009 ownership of Vapo was reconstructed to Suomen Energiavarat Oy, owned by EPV Energy (ex Etelä-Pohjanmaan Voima Oy) and several peat energy using companies. In June 2009 Metsäliitto (Finnforest) sold its share to Suomen Energiavarat Oy. In 2012 responsiples include several municipal energy companies e.g. Helsinki, Vantaa, Oulu, Rauma, Seinäjoki, Vaasa and Lahti.

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