Coal in Finland is used as an energy source in Finland. However, since Finland has no domestic coal production, it must import all of it from other countries, primarily from Russia. Finland is a peat-producing nation. Peat is classified as coal by the IEA.
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Coal
There is no coal mining or coal tar in Finland. Coal is imported. According to Finnwatch (27.9.2010) there are 13 coal power plants in Finland. The companies Pohjolan Voima, Fortum, Helsingin Energia and Rautaruukki consume coal most. According to the Finnwatch inquiry in 2010 none of the Finnish companies had yet a commitment to coal phase out. Energy companies stated following reductions in their future coal use: Helsingin Energia -40 % by 2020, Lahti Energia several tens of % by 2012 and Vantaan Energia -30 % by 2014.
Peat
Peat is environmentally controversial and disputed domestic soil material. Peat balances the water levels and prevents floods. Peat soils can restore carbon and slow down the global warming. Undisturbed peat soil areas are rich in flora and fauna.
Vapo Oy is the major peat producer. In 1994 Vapo had 80% of markets in Finland. The 100% state ownership guaranteed public funding for Vapo. Vapo was state owned company until 2002. Metsäliitto bought one third in 2002 and 49,9% in 2004. The acquisition was studied by the Finnish competition authorities in 2001 based on dominant position in the peat business. The European Commission accepted the deal. In 2009 Metsäliitto sold its share with 165 million € to Etelä-Pohjanmaan Voima Oy (EPV Oy). In practice, Vapo is owned by the state, EPV and the major plants using peat, in the way that EPV has the A series stocks.
Peat energy of Vapo is danger to the sustainability of bogs in Finland.
Coal import
Finland imported 18.3 million tons of coal in 2007–2009. The share of coal by country of origin in 2007-2009 was: Russia 72.5%, the United States 7.3%, Canada 6.6%, Australia 5.9%, Poland 3.0%, South Africa 1.4%, Columbia 1.3%, and Indonesia 1.1%. The majority of Finnish coal is mined in the Kuznetsk Basin of the Kemerovo Oblast, Russia.