Wood in energy generation 2016 (provisional)

• In 2016, heating and power plants consumed a total of 19.4 million solid cubic metres (37.2 terawatt-hours) of solid wood fuels, representing an increase of 6 per cent from the previous year, and more than ever before.

• The main wood fuel used by the plants was forest chips, the consumption of which increased by 3 per cent year-on-year to 7.6 million cubic metres. The use of forest chips amounted to 4.8 million cubic metres in the combined heat and power production (–1% year-on-year) and to 2.8 million cubic metres in the generation of heat (+12%). Together with the forest chips burned in small-scale housing (0.7 million cubic metres), the total consumption of forest chips reached 8.3 million cubic metres (+3%).

• More than half, or 4.0 million cubic metres, of the forest chips consumed by the plants were manufactured from small-sized trees, i.e. pruned small-diameter stems and unpruned small-sized trees. The second most common source, 2.5 million cubic metres, was logging residues. The use of stumps as raw material for forest chips came to 0.8 million cubic metres, and that of large-sized timber, 0.3 million cubic metres.

• Plants consumed six per cent more forest industry by-products than in the previous year, a total of 10.7 million cubic metres. The main material used in burning was bark, accounting for almost 70 per cent, or 7.2 million cubic metres, of by-product wood.

• The use of nearly all types of solid wood fuels increased from the previous year. Proportionally, the use of recycled wood (+32%) and wood pellets and briquettes (+28%) increased most.

• The information provided here is preliminary. The publication date of the final information concerning wood in energy generation is available in the Release calendar of statistics by Luke.