In 2025, Finland made remarkable strides in transforming its electricity sector, with almost 90% of its electricity now sourced from low-carbon technologies. This achievement is driven predominantly by nuclear power, which provides more than a third of the country's electricity, and wind power, which contributes more than a quarter. Additionally, hydropower, alongside biofuels, adds to the clean energy mix, further reducing the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. With fossil fuels now accounting for close to none of the electricity generation, Finland is setting an example for other nations in reducing carbon emissions from electricity consumption. The country's focus must now turn to electrifying other sectors like transport, heating, and industry, all of which depend heavily on fossil fuels, putting added pressure on the electricity network to grow.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, ENTSOE, Eurostat and IEA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Finland?
Despite Finland's achievements in low-carbon electricity, the overall electricity consumption per person tells a different story. In 2025, the average electricity consumption was about 15,227 kWh per person, which is a notable decrease from the peak of 17,795 kWh per person set in 2006. This decline raises concerns as Finland aims to electrify additional sectors and increase consumption sustainably. Encouragingly, low-carbon electricity consumption is slightly on the rise, from 13,483 kWh per person in 2024 to 13,551 kWh in 2025. With the world moving towards greater electrification, this modest increase is a positive indicator of Finland's commitment to low-carbon growth, though more substantial efforts are required.
Suggestions
To meet the increasing demand for clean electricity, Finland should consider expanding its nuclear and wind energy capacities. Nuclear power is a stable, reliable source of low-carbon energy and expanding existing nuclear facilities will significantly aid in reducing carbon emissions further. Wind power, growing swiftly over recent years, is equally crucial in diversifying and strengthening Finland's clean energy arsenal. While Finland has made advances in solar energy, its current contribution remains small, emphasizing an opportunity for future investment in solar technologies. Expanding these clean energy sources aligns with the broader goal of decreasing dependency on fossil fuels, supporting sustainable electricity consumption and advancing Finland's environmental agenda.
History
Delving into the historical context, Finland has experienced significant milestones and some setbacks in its journey toward low-carbon electricity generation. The 1980s marked a substantial growth due to nuclear and hydropower investments, notably in 1981 when nuclear saw a major increase of 7.4 TWh. Through the 1990s and into the early 2000s, biofuels and hydropower continued to contribute to clean energy, although hydropower faced several fluctuations owing to variable water conditions. The last few years have been especially noteworthy with significant advancements in nuclear and wind energy; 2023 alone saw an impressive rise of 8.5 TWh in nuclear energy, in combination with substantial increases in wind energy over consecutive years. These developments underscore Finland's continuing commitment to low-carbon electricity, highlighting the need to persist in this direction to realize a fully sustainable energy future.
