So I'm afraid I have to take issue with your statement "So one can say it's equates to a holding fuel" I really don't think it is, I won't be using it to hold - I'll be using it to get my sorry @rse out of trouble if I was dim enough to get down to Final Reserve.
Fredairstair, if you get to a condition where you are down to Final Reserve then, normally, you won't be using it to hold. You should have now declared a MAYDAY and will be vectored straight in to land. Let's not forget that if you departed with flight plan fuel and go around from MDA/DH at destination then proceed to your alternate you should arrive at your alternate with enough fuel for an approach and landing + Final Reserve. If the unexpected happened and a straight in approach and land was unavailable then you now have your Final Reserve to eat into. (Maybe the previous landing burst a tyre??? Not something you can plan on but it happens)
30 mins at holding speed @1500ft AAL = 30 mins in the hold @1500ft AAL
Just because it doesn't state it doesn't make it untrue. You could also not go to a hold and just fly around near the airfield while at holding speed, whats the difference?
Obviously this is backs to the wall stuff here, hopefully we'll only see it thrashed out here on these pages
