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Energy intensity of the economy in Australia

Australia: Energy intensity of the economy was 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
45th
of 161 countries
All-time high
2.59 kWh per 2011$PPP
in 1978
All-time low
1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP
in 2016
Years of data
52
1965–2016

Energy intensity of the economy in Australia, 1965–2016

0123196519902016

Source: Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database. Measured in kWh per 2011$PPP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for energy intensity of the economy in Australia is 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 52 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 13.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, energy intensity of the economy in Australia peaked at 2.59 kWh per 2011$PPP in 1978 and was at its lowest, 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP, in 2016.

Australia ranks 45th of 161 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.

Energy intensity of the economy in Australia, year by year

Year kWh per 2011$PPP Change
1965 2.1 kWh per 2011$PPP —
1966 2.22 kWh per 2011$PPP +5.9%
1967 2.23 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.1%
1968 2.23 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.4%
1969 2.19 kWh per 2011$PPP -2.0%
1970 2.25 kWh per 2011$PPP +2.7%
1971 2.26 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.6%
1972 2.3 kWh per 2011$PPP +1.9%
1973 2.33 kWh per 2011$PPP +1.3%
1974 2.52 kWh per 2011$PPP +7.8%
1975 2.51 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.1%
1976 2.5 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.6%
1977 2.58 kWh per 2011$PPP +3.6%
1978 2.59 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.2%
1979 2.55 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.5%
1980 2.52 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.4%
1981 2.43 kWh per 2011$PPP -3.5%
1982 2.45 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.8%
1983 2.44 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.4%
1984 2.43 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.2%
1985 2.35 kWh per 2011$PPP -3.5%
1986 2.39 kWh per 2011$PPP +1.7%
1987 2.28 kWh per 2011$PPP -4.5%
1988 2.24 kWh per 2011$PPP -2.0%
1989 2.25 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.5%
1990 2.24 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.2%
1991 2.29 kWh per 2011$PPP +2.2%
1992 2.18 kWh per 2011$PPP -4.8%
1993 2.19 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.4%
1994 2.17 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.0%
1995 2.13 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.7%
1996 2.1 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.6%
1997 2.06 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.6%
1998 2.04 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.2%
1999 2.02 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.0%
2000 1.93 kWh per 2011$PPP -4.4%
2001 1.91 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.1%
2002 1.86 kWh per 2011$PPP -2.7%
2003 1.84 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.0%
2004 1.82 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.8%
2005 1.7 kWh per 2011$PPP -6.7%
2006 1.77 kWh per 2011$PPP +4.0%
2007 1.72 kWh per 2011$PPP -2.8%
2008 1.65 kWh per 2011$PPP -4.4%
2009 1.64 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.3%
2010 1.54 kWh per 2011$PPP -6.4%
2011 1.54 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.0%
2012 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP -0.3%
2013 1.56 kWh per 2011$PPP +1.8%
2014 1.57 kWh per 2011$PPP +0.4%
2015 1.54 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.4%
2016 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP -1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 2.19 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.1 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.23 kWh per 2011$PPP 5
1970s 2.44 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.25 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.59 kWh per 2011$PPP 10
1980s 2.38 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.24 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.52 kWh per 2011$PPP 10
1990s 2.14 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.02 kWh per 2011$PPP 2.29 kWh per 2011$PPP 10
2000s 1.78 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.64 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.93 kWh per 2011$PPP 10
2010s 1.54 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP 1.57 kWh per 2011$PPP 7

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 42 Finland 1.55 kWh per 2011$PPP compare
  2. 43 Panama 1.55 kWh per 2011$PPP compare
  3. 44 Thailand 1.55 kWh per 2011$PPP compare
  4. 46 Armenia 1.5 kWh per 2011$PPP compare
  5. 46 Viet Nam 1.5 kWh per 2011$PPP compare
  6. 48 Georgia 1.5 kWh per 2011$PPP compare

See the full ranking of 161 places →

More reference data data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is energy intensity of the economy in Australia?
Energy intensity of the economy in Australia was 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP in 2016, according to Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database.
What is the highest energy intensity of the economy recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 2.59 kWh per 2011$PPP in 1978.
What is the lowest energy intensity of the economy recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 1.53 kWh per 2011$PPP in 2016.
How does Australia rank for energy intensity of the economy?
Australia ranks 45th out of 161 countries with data for 2016.
Is energy intensity of the economy rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database, published as part of Energy intensity of the economy (kWh per 2011$PPP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Energy intensity of the economy in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/energy-intensity-of-the-economy-kwh-per-2011-ppp/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Energy intensity of the economy (kWh per 2011$PPP)
Unit
kWh per 2011$PPP
Source
Our World in Data based on BP; World Bank; and Maddison Project Database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
161 places, 6,650 data points, 1965–2016
Last refreshed

Energy intensity is measured as primary energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product. This is measured in kilowatt-hours per 2011$ (PPP).