Bioenergy provides 37% of gross heat production in the Nordic countries and represents the primary renewable energy source in the production of heat in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Sweden leads in terms of absolute application of bioenergy in heating with biomass representing almost 50% of district heating. In terms of electricity from bioenergy, Finland leads with more than 12% of electricity originating from biomass.

Development of bioenergy in electricity production

Sources: Statistiska centralbyrån, Energistyrelsen, Statistisk Sentralbyrå, Statistics Finland

Download: Facts and figures - Bioenergy in the Nordic countries
This document (draft 2007) provides an overview of the application of bioenergy in heat, electricity and transport.

Current Bioenergy Policies and Measures in the Nordic Countries 2008 (pdf)
This report (May -08) provides an overview of the current main policies and measures related to the development and use of biomass resources and technologies in heating, electricity and transport.

Facts and Figures on the Use of Bioenergy in the Nordic Countries 2008 (pdf)
This report (May -08) provides a description of the current use and future potentials of bio-energy resources in the Nordic countries in terms of the energetic content of the biomass resource before it’s converted to an energy form.



The following chapters are extracts from the overview:

Large differences exist among the Nordic countries in terms of the level of renewable electricity generation and the role of bioenergy.

The development of the bioenergy sector in the Nordic electricity generation shows a strong positive trend.

Charts explaining the sources of bioenergy for electricity production in the different Nordic countries. Bioenergy shows the highest growth figures in energy in many areas, such as in Sweden and in Denmark where the use of bioenergy for electricity production increased by a factor of 19 between 1990 and 2005. Finland already is the country among the IEA member states with the highest level of electricity from bioenergy feedstock whereas it constitues a minor share of renewable electricity generation after hydro power in Norway.

Bioenergy provides 37% of the gross heat production in the Nordic countries and represents the primary renewable energy source in the production of heat in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Comparing the development of bioenergy in the national heat production, Finland stands out with a steep increase since 1995 where the use of heat bionergy has increased by up to 9 times the level in 1992.

The overall use of bioenergy for heating quadrupled between 1990 and 2006.

Municipal waste produces the bulk of bioenergy heat in Norway, increasing by 52% over the period from ca. 3,600 TJ in 1990 to ca. 5,500 TJ in 2005.

Heat from bioenergy in Finland has increased by a factor 8 from 1992 to 2005.

Heat generated from bioenergy more than doubled between 1990 and 2005 from 19,464 TJ in 1990 to 45,040 TJ in 2005.

Sweden is leading in terms of developing a commercial market for clean vehicles and biofuels for transportation in the Nordic countries.