Fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia
Australia: Fossil fuel consumption by fuel was 387.19 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
387.19 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
25th
of 220 countries
All-time high
440.57 terawatt-hours
in 2019
All-time low
0.0295 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia is 387.19 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia peaked at 440.57 terawatt-hours in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0295 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
Australia ranks 25th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.0295 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0.0393 terawatt-hours | +33.3% |
| 1967 | 0.0393 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.3046 terawatt-hours | +675.0% |
| 1969 | 4.13 terawatt-hours | +1254.8% |
| 1970 | 17.3 terawatt-hours | +319.3% |
| 1971 | 25.83 terawatt-hours | +49.3% |
| 1972 | 37.07 terawatt-hours | +43.6% |
| 1973 | 47.07 terawatt-hours | +27.0% |
| 1974 | 53.7 terawatt-hours | +14.1% |
| 1975 | 57.67 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 1976 | 68.08 terawatt-hours | +18.0% |
| 1977 | 77.77 terawatt-hours | +14.2% |
| 1978 | 83.73 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 96.38 terawatt-hours | +15.1% |
| 1980 | 110.67 terawatt-hours | +14.8% |
| 1981 | 119.94 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1982 | 116.98 terawatt-hours | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 127.08 terawatt-hours | +8.6% |
| 1984 | 125.32 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 133.95 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 146.33 terawatt-hours | +9.2% |
| 1987 | 149.4 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 152.99 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 166.88 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 167.76 terawatt-hours | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 160.82 terawatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 166.37 terawatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 172.49 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 191.57 terawatt-hours | +11.1% |
| 1995 | 193.42 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 194.83 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 191.31 terawatt-hours | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 196.95 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 201.74 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 205.55 terawatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 221.69 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 228.15 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 229.94 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 234.54 terawatt-hours | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 232.59 terawatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 259.43 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 2007 | 290.2 terawatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2008 | 285.35 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 291.36 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 317.06 terawatt-hours | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 330.82 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 332.85 terawatt-hours | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 350 terawatt-hours | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 375.68 terawatt-hours | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 389.95 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 379.53 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 372.84 terawatt-hours | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 371.91 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 440.57 terawatt-hours | +18.5% |
| 2020 | 423.17 terawatt-hours | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 395.76 terawatt-hours | -6.5% |
| 2022 | 432.27 terawatt-hours | +9.2% |
| 2023 | 387.97 terawatt-hours | -10.2% |
| 2024 | 391.57 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 387.19 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 387.19 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 27.08 terawatt-hours, 14.3× the median. (76 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +1254.8% | 0.3046 terawatt-hours | 4.13 terawatt-hours |
| 1968 | +675.0% | 0.0393 terawatt-hours | 0.3046 terawatt-hours |
| 1970 | +319.3% | 4.13 terawatt-hours | 17.3 terawatt-hours |
| 1971 | +49.3% | 17.3 terawatt-hours | 25.83 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.9078 terawatt-hours | 0.0295 terawatt-hours | 4.13 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 56.46 terawatt-hours | 17.3 terawatt-hours | 96.38 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 134.95 terawatt-hours | 110.67 terawatt-hours | 166.88 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 183.73 terawatt-hours | 160.82 terawatt-hours | 201.74 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 247.88 terawatt-hours | 205.55 terawatt-hours | 291.36 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 366.12 terawatt-hours | 317.06 terawatt-hours | 440.57 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 402.99 terawatt-hours | 387.19 terawatt-hours | 432.27 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.4235 % 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 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia?
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel in Australia was 387.19 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuel consumption by fuel recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 440.57 terawatt-hours in 2019.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption by fuel recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0295 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does Australia rank for fossil fuel consumption by fuel?
- Australia ranks 25th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption by fuel rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuel consumption by fuel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.