Energy intensity in Australia
Australia: Energy intensity was 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▼ Falling
Energy intensity in Australia, 1965–2022
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy intensity in Australia is 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Australia peaked at 2.5 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1978 and was at its lowest, 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 2021.
That places Australia 58th out of 165 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 58 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.24 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5 |
| 1970s | 2.39 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.5 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.28 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.17 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.9 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.2 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.69 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.53 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.84 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.36 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.26 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.16 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.21 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 1.9% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 34.6% (2025)
- Gas production 1,486 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 55,080 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 1,486 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 55,080 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 26.9% (2025)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 4.7% (2024)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 45.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Australia?
- Energy intensity in Australia was 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1978.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2021.
- How does Australia rank for energy intensity?
- Australia ranks 58th out of 165 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 58 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.