Hard coal consumption drops by 42% in 2023

The consumption of hard coal decreased by 42 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to Statistics Finland.

The consumption of hard coal as a fuel in the generation of electricity and heat and in manufacturing amounted to 1,168 thousand tonnes, corresponding to 30.1 petajoules in energy content.

In 2023, altogether 71 per cent less hard coal was consumed than on average in the 2000s.

The consumption of hard coal decreased in all quarters of 2023 compared to the previous year.

The consumption of hard coal decreased most in the fourth (64%) and third (54%) quarters.

The consumption of hard coal diminished both in the production of electricity and heat as main activity and in manufacturing.

In the long term, the trend of hard coal consumption has been declining and the number of plants using hard coal has continued to fall.

The stocks of hard coal amounted to 1,117 thousand tonnes at the end of December 2023, which was 39 per cent less than one year earlier.