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Energy sources in New Zealand

Energy consumption in New Zealand

The most important figure in the energy balance of New Zealand is the total consumption of
41.17 billion kWh
of electric energy per year. Per capita this is an average of 8,037 kWh.

New Zealand can completely be self-sufficient with domestically produced energy. The total production of all electric energy producing facilities is 43 bn kWh, also 105 percent of own requirements. The rest of the domestically produced energy is either exported into other countries or unused. Along with pure consumption, the production, imports and exports play an important role. Other energy sources, such as natural gas or crude oil are also used.

Back to overview: New Zealand

Energy Balance

ElectricitytotalNew Zealand
per capita
USA
per capita
Own consumption41.17 bn kWh8,036.90 kWh11,744.38 kWh
Production43.43 bn kWh8,477.37 kWh12,198.66 kWh

100.0% of the country's population (as of 2020) has access to electricity.
Crude OilBarrel/dayNew Zealand
per capita
USA
per capita
Own consumption184,600.00 bbl0.036 bbl0.062 bbl
Production13,400.00 bbl0.003 bbl0.054 bbl
Import99,900.00 bbl0.020 bbl0.023 bbl
Export21,600.00 bbl0.004 bbl0.006 bbl

In 2021 there were still 41.00 m barrels of recoverable but not yet used crude oil reserves in the currently known deposits of New Zealand. Worldwide, there are still proved oil reserves totaling around 1.7 tn billion barrels. New Zealand therefore has a share of 0.002% and ranks 78th out of 211 countries with crude oil reserves.

Natural GasCubic metersNew Zealand
per capita
USA
per capita
Own consumption4.95 bn m³965.57 m³2,583.79 m³
Production4.77 bn m³931.39 m³2,914.02 m³


CO₂ emissions

CO₂ emissions
in 2019
New Zealand
per capita
USA
per capita
total34.01 m t6.83 t14.52 t
› of which diesel + gasoline25.76 bn t5,173.52 t7,179.51 t
› of which natural gas9.45 bn t1,896.89 t5,073.94 t
› of which coal5.14 bn t1,032.09 t3,246.58 t


Development of CO₂ emissions from 1960 to 2019 in million tons
See also: CO₂ equivalents by country

CO₂ emissions New Zealand


Production capacities per energy source

The given production capacities for electric energy have a theoretical value, which can only be obtained under ideal conditions. They are measuring the generatable amount of energy, that would be reached under permanent and full use of all capacities of all power plants.

In practice this isn't possible, because e.g. solar collectors are less efficient under clouds. Also wind- and water-power plants are not always operating under full load. All these values are only useful in relation to other energy sources or countries.

Energy sourcetotal
in New Zealand
Percentage
in New Zealand
Percentage
USA
per capita
in New Zealand
per capita
USA
Fossil fuels16.42 bn kWh19,5 %59,9 %3,206.25 kWh2.06 kWh
Nuclear power0.00 kWh0,0 %19,5 %0.00 kWh0.67 kWh
Solar energy336.91 m kWh0,4 %3,2 %65.77 kWh0.11 kWh
Wind power4.46 bn kWh5,3 %8,3 %871.44 kWh0.29 kWh
Water power46.16 bn kWh54,8 %7,0 %9,010.39 kWh0.24 kWh
Tidal Power Plants84.23 m kWh0,1 %0,0 %16.44 kWh0.00 kWh
Geothermics15.67 bn kWh18,6 %0,4 %3,058.27 kWh0.01 kWh
Biomass1.18 bn kWh1,4 %1,7 %230.19 kWh0.06 kWh

Note: The sum of each data in this table adds up to 100.10 percent and may not be accurate. Worlddata.info receives this data from the US Office of Public Affairs (CIA) and will not make any presumptuous changes to it.

Usage of renewable energies

Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources. This means all energy sources that renew themselves within a short time or are permanently available. Energy from hydropower is only partly a renewable energy. This is certainly the case with river or tidal power plants. Otherwise, numerous dams or reservoirs also produce mixed forms, e.g. by pumping water into their reservoirs at night and recovering energy from them during the day when there is an increased demand for electricity. Since it is not possible to clearly determine the amount of generated energy, all energy from hydropower is displayed separately.

In 2019, renewable energy accounted for around 29.7 percent of actual total consumption in New Zealand. The following chart shows the percentage share from 1990 to 2019:

Renewable energy New Zealand
Methane and CO₂ emissions worldwideGreenhouse gases emissions by countryMethane and CO₂ are the main greenhouse gases. This list names the biggest polluters by country.
Climate changes by continentsGlobal warming by continentsAvg. temperatures from 1950 to 2023. Increased in Europe and North America - Antarctic colder again.
Germany: household debtsDebts an budget deficits in GermanyBudget surplus and deficits in the last 24 years in Germany incl. a comparison to the European Union