Total energy consumption fell by 11 per cent in January to March

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, total energy consumption in January to March amounted to 344 petajoule (PJ), which was 11 per cent less than in the corresponding period last year. Electricity consumption amounted to 23 terawatt hours (TWh), or nine per cent lower than one year earlier. Carbon dioxide emissions from the energy use of fuels declined by 15 per cent year-on-year.

Total energy consumption

*preliminary

The warm start of the year was the most significant reason for the fall in total consumption of energy. The consumption of all fuels fell in the first quarter of the year. The consumption of coal and natural gas decreased by 23 and 24 per cent from the year before. The consumption of oil fell by six per cent, which was particularly visible in the sales of liquid fuels. Less liquid fuels were consumed due to restrictions to traffic that entered into force in March due to the coronavirus epidemic. The stoppage of the forest industry at the turn of January and February contributed to the 19 per cent fall in the consumption of wood fuels. The consumption of peat was 23 per cent lower than one year ago.

In addition to the warm weather, the fall in electricity consumption was affected by lower consumption of electricity in manufacturing. The stoppage of the forest industry and the paper machines closed at the end of last year weakened the demand for electricity in manufacturing. The exceptionally warm early part of the year was also rainy and at the same time very windy. Thus, renewable electricity production had favourable conditions in the first quarter. The production of hydro power and wind power increased by 54 and 44 per cent from the year before. A record was made in the production of wind power in Finland during January. In the first week of January, the share of wind electricity in Finland's electricity production was record high at 22 per cent. As a result of the grown production of domestic hydro and wind power, less electricity was imported than in the year before. Net imports of electricity declined by 33 per cent from the previous year.

In January to March, diverse energy products were imported into Finland to the value of EUR 2.1 billion, which was 22 per cent less than one year earlier. Most energy products were imported from Russia, whose share of the value of imports was 60 per cent. Exports of energy products from Finland amounted to EUR one billion. The value of exports decreased by 26 per cent from the corresponding quarter of the year before. Most energy products were exported to OECD countries, which accounted for 78 per cent of the value of exports.

Total energy consumption by source (TJ) and CO2 emissions (Mt)

Energy source	I/2020*	Annual change-%*	Percentage share of total energy consumption*
Oil ¹⁾	70,646	-6	21
Coal ²⁾	24,963	-23	7
Natural gas ³⁾	21,354	-24	6
Nuclear energy ⁴⁾	66,140	1	19
Net imports of electricity ⁵⁾	13,778	-33	4
Hydro power ⁵⁾	15,314	54	5
Wind power ⁵⁾	9,407	44	3
Peat	17,673	-23	5
Wood fuels	84,871	-19	25
Others ⁶⁾	19,859	-11	6
TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION	344,004	-11	100
Bunkers	9,139	-21	.
CO2 emissions from energy sector	10	-15	.

* = Preliminary data
. = Category not applicable
1) Oil: includes the bio part of transport fuels.
2) Coal: includes hard coal, coke, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas.
3) The consumption of natural gas does not include raw material use.
4) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Nuclear power: 10.91 TJ/GWh (33% total efficiency)
5) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Hydro power, wind power and net imports of electricity: 3.6 TJ/GWh (100%)
6) Others: includes exothermic heat from industry, recovered fuels, heat pumps, hydrogen, biogas, other bioenergy and solar energy.

Source: Statistics Finland, Energy supply and consumption

Inquiries: Aleksi Sandberg 029 551 3326, energia@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jan Nokkala

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Figures

Appendix figure 1. Changes in GDP, Final energy consumption and electricity consumption (30.6.2020)
Appendix figure 2. Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and peat use (30.6.2020)
Appendix figure 3. Coal consumption (30.6.2020)
Appendix figure 4. Natural gas consumption (30.6.2020)
Appendix figure 5. Energy peat consumption (30.6.2020)
Appendix figure 6. Domestic oil deliveries (30.6.2020)

Revisions in these statistics

Revisions in these statistics (30.6.2020)

Updated 30.6.2020

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Energy supply and consumption [e-publication].
ISSN=1799-7976. 1st quarter 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 26.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ehk/2020/01/ehk_2020_01_2020-06-30_tie_001_en.html