Peat resources of Finland

Photo: Jari Väätäinen, GTK

In the Finnish energy economy, peat is used to replace imported fuels. Two-thirds of the energy consumed in Finland has been generated with imported fuels. At present, peat is used in around one hundred larger applications. The biggest ones are located in the inland cities co-generating electricity and heat mainly with peat.  Peat energy cover 6 % of total energy in Finland.  

In Finland, peat is mainly used in energy generation or in horticulture. Energy peat accounts for 90% of the total peat production and horticultural peat for around 6-7%. Some peat is used in municipal sludge and biowaste composting plants and as biofilters; as litter material in animal husbandry; as oil-absorbent; in textiles; and in balneology.

Geological Survey of Finland has investigated 1.8 million ha of the 5.1 million ha area covered by geological peatland in Finland. The study material contains about one million study points and 14 000 single peatland basins, from where the peat geological data has been collected. Based on these data, the present study assesses the peat resources of Finland and their exploitability.

Peatlands, which are technically suitable for the peat industry, cover a total area of 1.2 million ha and contain 29.6 billion m ³ of peat in situ. Calculations of economical and environmental facts that will limit the use of mires have not been taken into account. Slightly humifed peat suitable for horticultural and environmental use totals 5.9 billion m ³ in situ and energy peat totals 23.7 billion m ³ in situ with an energy content of 12 800 TWh. The effective energy density of the areas appropriate for energy production is 0.54 MWh/ m ³ in situ.

Sphagnum peat account for 54 % and Carex peat for 45 % of recoverable peat reserves. The remainder, 1 %, is composed of Bryales peat, the bulk of which are encountered in the North-Finland area. The highest values of humification degree are located in Finnish Lake area, in Central Finland. The average ash content is 3.4 % of dry mass, sulphur content 0.20 % of dry mass and dry bulk density 87 kg/m ³ in situ.

The mean depth of the geological peatland is 1.41 m. In the area exceeding 1.5 m in depth the peat layer is 2.50 m thick on an average. Thirty-seven per cent of the mires, covering a total area of 1.9 million ha, are over 1.5 m deep. Total Finnish national peat reserves are account for 69.3 billion m ³ in situ.

Dry solids total 6.3 billion t. The carbon storage of Finnish mires is 3.2 billion t.

Distribution of peatland in Finland (green) 28% of Finnish territory is peatland. Open pdf

Technically suitable peat resources in Finland Energy peat 23.7 billion m 3 and environment and horticulture peat 5.9billion m 3. Open pdf

Related topics: Peat Peatland mapping

See also: Turvepaikka