Annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand
New Zealand: Annual change in primary energy use was 3.09 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.09 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 43.8%
World rank
58th
of 219 countries
All-time high
12.57 terawatt-hours
in 2014
All-time low
-21.69 terawatt-hours
in 2020
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand stood at 3.09 terawatt-hours.
The figure is down 43.8% on the previous year and down 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand peaked at 12.57 terawatt-hours in 2014 and was at its lowest, -21.69 terawatt-hours, in 2020.
New Zealand ranks 58th of 219 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 3.87 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | -1.63 terawatt-hours | -142.2% |
| 1968 | 2.21 terawatt-hours | -235.1% |
| 1969 | 2.1 terawatt-hours | -4.9% |
| 1970 | 8.32 terawatt-hours | +296.4% |
| 1971 | 1.5 terawatt-hours | -82.0% |
| 1972 | 5.74 terawatt-hours | +283.2% |
| 1973 | 4.97 terawatt-hours | -13.5% |
| 1974 | 2.72 terawatt-hours | -45.3% |
| 1975 | -0.981 terawatt-hours | -136.1% |
| 1976 | 6.07 terawatt-hours | -718.6% |
| 1977 | 3.68 terawatt-hours | -39.3% |
| 1978 | -3 terawatt-hours | -181.5% |
| 1979 | -4.38 terawatt-hours | +45.9% |
| 1980 | -0.875 terawatt-hours | -80.0% |
| 1981 | -0.6234 terawatt-hours | -28.7% |
| 1982 | 7.29 terawatt-hours | -1269.1% |
| 1983 | 2.77 terawatt-hours | -62.0% |
| 1984 | 8.35 terawatt-hours | +201.8% |
| 1985 | 1.62 terawatt-hours | -80.7% |
| 1986 | 7.9 terawatt-hours | +389.1% |
| 1987 | 2.06 terawatt-hours | -74.0% |
| 1988 | 4.65 terawatt-hours | +126.4% |
| 1989 | 8.25 terawatt-hours | +77.2% |
| 1990 | 8.96 terawatt-hours | +8.6% |
| 1991 | 4.73 terawatt-hours | -47.3% |
| 1992 | 3.64 terawatt-hours | -23.0% |
| 1993 | 1.92 terawatt-hours | -47.3% |
| 1994 | 5.2 terawatt-hours | +171.3% |
| 1995 | 3.98 terawatt-hours | -23.6% |
| 1996 | 5.72 terawatt-hours | +43.9% |
| 1997 | 6.44 terawatt-hours | +12.6% |
| 1998 | -2.12 terawatt-hours | -133.0% |
| 1999 | 8.46 terawatt-hours | -498.3% |
| 2000 | 7.4 terawatt-hours | -12.6% |
| 2001 | 3.18 terawatt-hours | -57.0% |
| 2002 | 1.97 terawatt-hours | -38.2% |
| 2003 | -4.76 terawatt-hours | -342.3% |
| 2004 | 0.1508 terawatt-hours | -103.2% |
| 2005 | 4.11 terawatt-hours | +2625.7% |
| 2006 | 3.02 terawatt-hours | -26.6% |
| 2007 | 0.3342 terawatt-hours | -88.9% |
| 2008 | 7.96 terawatt-hours | +2282.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5876 terawatt-hours | -92.6% |
| 2010 | 12.43 terawatt-hours | +2014.6% |
| 2011 | 2.78 terawatt-hours | -77.6% |
| 2012 | 7.5 terawatt-hours | +169.7% |
| 2013 | 4.91 terawatt-hours | -34.5% |
| 2014 | 12.57 terawatt-hours | +155.8% |
| 2015 | 5.72 terawatt-hours | -54.5% |
| 2016 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | -30.7% |
| 2017 | 6.57 terawatt-hours | +65.6% |
| 2018 | -2.93 terawatt-hours | -144.6% |
| 2019 | 6.76 terawatt-hours | -330.6% |
| 2020 | -21.69 terawatt-hours | -420.9% |
| 2021 | -2.6 terawatt-hours | -88.0% |
| 2022 | -6.1 terawatt-hours | +135.0% |
| 2023 | 3.96 terawatt-hours | -164.9% |
| 2024 | 5.49 terawatt-hours | +38.9% |
| 2025 | 3.09 terawatt-hours | -43.8% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 3.09 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.031 terawatt-hours, 99.5× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 3.09 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2174 terawatt-hours, 14.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +2625.7% | 0.1508 terawatt-hours | 4.11 terawatt-hours |
| 2008 | +2282.9% | 0.3342 terawatt-hours | 7.96 terawatt-hours |
| 2010 | +2014.6% | 0.5876 terawatt-hours | 12.43 terawatt-hours |
| 1982 | +1269.1% | -0.6234 terawatt-hours | 7.29 terawatt-hours |
| 1976 | +718.6% | -0.981 terawatt-hours | 6.07 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.64 terawatt-hours | -1.63 terawatt-hours | 3.87 terawatt-hours | 4 |
| 1970s | 2.46 terawatt-hours | -4.38 terawatt-hours | 8.32 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.14 terawatt-hours | -0.875 terawatt-hours | 8.35 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.69 terawatt-hours | -2.12 terawatt-hours | 8.96 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.39 terawatt-hours | -4.76 terawatt-hours | 7.96 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.03 terawatt-hours | -2.93 terawatt-hours | 12.57 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.97 terawatt-hours | -21.69 terawatt-hours | 5.49 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 55 Ecuador 3.42 terawatt-hours compare
- 56 Tajikistan, Republic of 3.34 terawatt-hours compare
- 57 Yemen, Republic of 3.14 terawatt-hours compare
- 59 Papua New Guinea 2.89 terawatt-hours compare
- 60 Nepal 2.79 terawatt-hours compare
- 61 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.48 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for New Zealand
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 12.0% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.1% (2025)
- Fuel exports 0.9% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 3.3% (2025)
- Gas production 35.27 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 6,765 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 35.27 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 6,765 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand?
- Annual change in primary energy use in New Zealand was 3.09 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in primary energy use recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 12.57 terawatt-hours in 2014.
- What is the lowest annual change in primary energy use recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -21.69 terawatt-hours in 2020.
- How does New Zealand rank for annual change in primary energy use?
- New Zealand ranks 58th out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in primary energy use rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change in total energy supply relative to the previous year, measured in terawatt-hours.