Renewable energy in Finland

Renewable energy in Finland grew to 38.7% of total final energy consumption by year end 2014 (it was just 29.2% in 2005), achieving joint second position with Latvia in terms of renewable energy consumption by share amongst the EU-28 countries, behind its neighbour Sweden in first position on a 52.6% share. The 2014 share in Finland breaks down as renewable energy providing 52% of the heating and cooling sector, 31.4% of the electricity sector and 21.6% of the transport sector. By 2014 Finland had already exceeded its 2020 target for renewable energy use under the EU renewable energy directive as shown in the table of country targets.

The earlier European objectives for 2010 included the targets of: 22% renewable source electricity and 12% renewable of primary energy in 2010 (directive and white paper). This included the objectives of 40 GWh wind power, 3 GWh PV and 5.75% biofuels (2010). The wind power objective was reached as early as 2005.

In 2005 the renewable energy share of electricity in Finland was as follows: Hydro electric power 60%, forest industry black liquor 22%, other wood residues 16%, wind power 0.2% and other RE 1%.

Finland differs from most industrialized countries in that many of its energy needs stem from the Nordic conditions. Finland is located between 60 and 70 degrees northern latitude and a quarter of its area lies north of the Arctic Circle. In fact, one third of all people living north of the 60th parallel are Finns. The annual mean temperature in the south of the country is around 5 °C and 0 °C in the north. The population-weighted average number of heating degree days for Finland is 5000, considerably more than in Sweden and Norway (4000). Thus, the Finnish climate is the coldest in the EU and, consequently, a large share of the energy (22%) is used for the heating of buildings.

Finland's energy consumption increased 44% in electricity and 30% in total energy use during the period 1990-2006. The increase in electricity consumption of 15,000 GWh (1995–2005) was more than Finland's total hydroelectric power capacity. The consumption increased almost equally in all sectors (industry, residential, and services). The share of renewable electricity in Finland has been stable (1998–2005): 11-12% plus yearly variable hydroelectric power, totaling 24-27%. The forest industries contributed 57% of the RE power generation via black liquor and wood burning in 1990. By 2005 this share had grown to 67%. The rest consisting primarily of hydroelectric power. As with most first world countries, the vast majority of commercially viable hydroelectric sites in Finland have already been developed. The forest industry uses 30% of all electricity in Finland (1990–2005). Its process wastes, wood residues, and black liquor were used to produce 7-8000 GWh of electricity in 2005. However, during that year electricity consumption fell 10% compared to 2004 as a result of a prolonged forest industry labour dispute. Finland's power consumption was (2005) 17.3 MW electricity per capita compared to Germany 7.5 MW per capita. This number includes the power losses of the distribution.

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