Energy intensity in Malaysia
Malaysia: Energy intensity was 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
37th
of 166 countries
All-time high
2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2005
All-time low
1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1974
Years of data
58
1965–2022
Energy intensity in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Malaysia peaked at 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 1974.
Malaysia ranks 37th of 166 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 58 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1.15 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1966 | 1.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +10.1% |
| 1967 | 1.34 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.7% |
| 1968 | 1.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.2% |
| 1969 | 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 1.16 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.5% |
| 1971 | 1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.3% |
| 1972 | 1.26 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1.17 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.6% |
| 1974 | 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 1.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +9.1% |
| 1978 | 1.51 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +22.4% |
| 1979 | 1.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 1.54 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 1.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 1.51 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 1.63 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 1.6 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 1.6 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 1.73 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 1.68 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 1.62 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 1.67 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 1.63 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 1.86 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +14.1% |
| 1992 | 1.92 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 1.74 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -9.5% |
| 1994 | 1.66 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 1.65 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.65 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 1.81 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 1.86 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 1.84 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 1.95 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 1.98 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 1.97 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 2.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 2.02 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 1.95 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 1.94 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 1.89 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 1.84 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.75 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 1.68 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 1.74 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 1.73 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 1.65 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 1.59 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 1.59 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.51 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 1.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 1.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.4% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 1.3× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.15 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.34 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.25 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.73 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.76 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.63 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.92 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.96 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.84 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.75 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 34 Serbia 1.53 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 35 China 1.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 36 Qatar 1.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 38 Saint Lucia 1.45 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 39 Uzbekistan 1.43 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 40 Belgium 1.4 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
More energy & mining data for Malaysia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 12.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Malaysia?
- Energy intensity in Malaysia was 1.48 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2005.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1974.
- How does Malaysia rank for energy intensity?
- Malaysia ranks 37th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.