Wood in energy generation 2022 (provisional)

The data have been revised on April 20th, 2023 and May 25th, 2023.

A total of 30 million cubic metres, or 60 terawatt hours, of solid wood fuels was consumed by heating and power plants and in small-scale burning. The volume decreased from the previous year by two terawatt hours, or 1.2 million cubic metres.

• In 2022,  heating and power plants consumed a total of 22.9 million solid cubic metres (44.5 TWh) of solid wood fuels, decreased by 5% from the previous year.
• Small-scale burning – small-scale housing and farms – accounted for 6.9 million solid cubic metres (15.3 TWh).

Heating and power plants

• The consumption of forest chips was 10.2 million cubic metres (20.2 TWh), up by 7% from the previous year.
• The increase in the consumption of forest chips resulted from the increased consumption in combined heat and power generation, i.e. at CHP plants. They consumed a total of 6.6 million cubic metres of forest chips (+11%). In heat generation alone, the consumption of forest chips increased by  1% to 3.6 million cubic metres.
• Of the forest chips, 6.4 million cubic metres (+8%) were produced from small-sized trees, i.e. from pruned and unpruned stems, and pulpwood. The consumption of logging residues was 2.9 million cubic metres (+9%), that of large-sized roundwood 0.6 million cubic metres (-5%), and that of stumps 0.3 million cubic metres (-2%).
• The consumption of different solid forest industry by-products was 11.0 million cubic metres (-14%). Of this amount, bark accounted for 6.4 million cubic metres (-19%), industrial chips 1.6 million cubic metres (+8%), different types of sawdust 2.9 million cubic metres (-6%), and unidentified industrial residues 0.2 million cubic metres (-65%).
• The consumption of recycled wood was 1.3 million cubic metres (+1%). In addition, a total of 454,000 tons, or 0.3 million cubic metres (-4%), of wood pellets and bricks were consumed.
• Solid wood fuels were consumed the most in the region of South Karelia (2.2 million cubic metres) in which forest industry by-products and residues were also consumed the most (1,8 million cubic metres). The consumption of forest chips was the highest in the region of Uusimaa (1.3 million cubic metres).

Small-scale burning of wood

• The information is based on a sampling survey for the 2016/2017 heating season. 
• The consumption of logwood and smallwood was 5.9 million cubic metres.
• The consumption of forest chips was 0.6 million cubic metres.
• The consumption of other wood, including pellets, was 0.4 million cubic metres.

The data presented herein is preliminary. The data can be specified at dates to be announced later. Final data on the use of wood in energy generation will be published in autumn 2023 according to Luke’s publication calendar for statistics.

The data of heating and power plants have been revised on April 20th, 2023. As a result, consumption of solid wood fuels increased by 0.1 million cubic metres compared to previously published figures. The next revision was on May 25th, 2023, when the consumption of solid wood fuels decreased by 0.01 million m³.

Change in statistics 21.3.2023.

Read more on the page Changes and corrections in the statistics.