Primary energy use by source in New Zealand
New Zealand: Primary energy use by source was 3.83 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.83 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 3.3%
World rank
39th
of 80 countries
All-time high
3.96 terawatt-hours
in 2024
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy use by source in New Zealand, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy use by source in New Zealand is 3.83 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and up 61.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use by source in New Zealand peaked at 3.96 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
That places New Zealand 39th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use by source in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1968 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1969 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1971 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1973 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1974 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1975 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1976 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1977 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1978 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1979 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1982 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1983 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1985 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1987 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1988 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1989 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1992 | 0.0007 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1993 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +42.7% |
| 1994 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0083 terawatt-hours | +724.3% |
| 1997 | 0.0136 terawatt-hours | +63.3% |
| 1998 | 0.0221 terawatt-hours | +62.4% |
| 1999 | 0.039 terawatt-hours | +76.7% |
| 2000 | 0.1202 terawatt-hours | +208.3% |
| 2001 | 0.139 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1555 terawatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2003 | 0.1465 terawatt-hours | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 0.3615 terawatt-hours | +146.7% |
| 2005 | 0.6144 terawatt-hours | +69.9% |
| 2006 | 0.6222 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 0.9299 terawatt-hours | +49.4% |
| 2008 | 1.06 terawatt-hours | +13.8% |
| 2009 | 1.48 terawatt-hours | +39.5% |
| 2010 | 1.64 terawatt-hours | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 1.96 terawatt-hours | +19.5% |
| 2012 | 2.08 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2013 | 2.02 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 2.21 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 2.36 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 2.33 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 2.09 terawatt-hours | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 2.07 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 2.27 terawatt-hours | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 2.32 terawatt-hours | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 2.63 terawatt-hours | +13.6% |
| 2022 | 2.86 terawatt-hours | +8.8% |
| 2023 | 3.24 terawatt-hours | +13.0% |
| 2024 | 3.96 terawatt-hours | +22.3% |
| 2025 | 3.83 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 3.83 terawatt-hours is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.89 terawatt-hours, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 3.83 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.61 terawatt-hours, 1.1× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use by source 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +724.3% | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 0.0083 terawatt-hours |
| 2000 | +208.3% | 0.039 terawatt-hours | 0.1202 terawatt-hours |
| 2004 | +146.7% | 0.1465 terawatt-hours | 0.3615 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0087 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0.039 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5624 terawatt-hours | 0.1202 terawatt-hours | 1.48 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.1 terawatt-hours | 1.64 terawatt-hours | 2.36 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.14 terawatt-hours | 2.32 terawatt-hours | 3.96 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More energy & mining data for New Zealand
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.2 % 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 (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 12.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use by source in New Zealand?
- Primary energy use by source in New Zealand was 3.83 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use by source recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.96 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary energy use by source recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does New Zealand rank for primary energy use by source?
- New Zealand ranks 39th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use by source rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.9%. 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); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use by source. 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 of total energy supply.