Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand
New Zealand: Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables was 4.97 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▼ Falling
Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand, 2000–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand is 4.97 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 19.4% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand peaked at 15.52 terawatt-hours in 2008 and was at its lowest, 4.45 terawatt-hours, in 2023.
New Zealand ranks 88th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.99 terawatt-hours | — |
| 2001 | 14.28 terawatt-hours | +29.9% |
| 2002 | 12.21 terawatt-hours | -14.5% |
| 2003 | 13.69 terawatt-hours | +12.1% |
| 2004 | 11.67 terawatt-hours | -14.8% |
| 2005 | 15.12 terawatt-hours | +29.6% |
| 2006 | 15.16 terawatt-hours | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 14.97 terawatt-hours | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 15.52 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 12.16 terawatt-hours | -21.6% |
| 2010 | 11.91 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 10.53 terawatt-hours | -11.6% |
| 2012 | 12.37 terawatt-hours | +17.5% |
| 2013 | 11.02 terawatt-hours | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 8.97 terawatt-hours | -18.6% |
| 2015 | 8.68 terawatt-hours | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 6.76 terawatt-hours | -22.1% |
| 2017 | 8.2 terawatt-hours | +21.3% |
| 2018 | 7.26 terawatt-hours | -11.5% |
| 2019 | 7.69 terawatt-hours | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 8.27 terawatt-hours | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 7.96 terawatt-hours | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 5.65 terawatt-hours | -29.0% |
| 2023 | 4.45 terawatt-hours | -21.2% |
| 2024 | 6.17 terawatt-hours | +38.7% |
| 2025 | 4.97 terawatt-hours | -19.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 4.97 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.3 terawatt-hours, 1.2× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 4.97 terawatt-hours is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.55 terawatt-hours, 90% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.58 terawatt-hours | 10.99 terawatt-hours | 15.52 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.34 terawatt-hours | 6.76 terawatt-hours | 12.37 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.25 terawatt-hours | 4.45 terawatt-hours | 8.27 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand?
- Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables in New Zealand was 4.97 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 15.52 terawatt-hours in 2008.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.45 terawatt-hours in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables?
- New Zealand ranks 88th out of 208 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured in terawatt-hours.