Finland Times

 

Consumption of hard coal, 1,000 tonnes. Source: Consumption of hard coal, Statistics Finland.

Consumption of hard coal decreased by 23 per cent in the January to September period compared to the corresponding period of last year.

 

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, consumption of hard coal as a fuel in the generation of electricity and heat amounted to 2.8 million tonnes, corresponding to 70 petajoules in energy content. Compared to the January to September average of the past ten years, hard coal consumption was now around 21 per cent lower.

 

The use of coal diminished in plants of separate production of electricity by 41 per cent in January to September compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

 

Especially in spring, less hard coal was consumed than last year. This was affected by the unusually warm weather during the early part of the year and the improved water situation in the Nordic countries.

 

One coal condensate power plant was also removed from the standby mode at the beginning of the year. In summer, the water situation in the Nordic countries deteriorated a bit again, and the consumption of hard coal was around four per cent higher in the third quarter than during the corresponding period last year.

 

Hard coal consumption in Finland typically fluctuates seasonally. Some of the fluctuation is explained by the natural fluctuation in the need for electricity and heat between the summer and winter seasons.

 

The water situation in the Nordic countries also affects the demand for condensate production in particular. Therefore, long-term consumption development cannot be deducted from the change in hard coal consumption in successive years.

 

At the end of September 2014, stocks of hard coal totalled some 3.6 million tonnes, or 13 per cent more than a year earlier.