Energy in Australia 2009
published by
abare.gov.au
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produced for:
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Energy consumption
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Australia is the world’s twentieth largest primary energy consumer, ranking sixteenth on a per person basis.
Energy intensity
During the past five decades, Australia’s growth in energy consumption has gradually slowed. Following growth of around 5 per cent during the 1960s, annual growth in energy consumption fell during the 1970s to an average of around 4 per cent a year, largely as a result of the two major oil price shocks. During the 1980s, economic recession and sharply rising energy prices resulted in annual growth falling to an average of 2.3 per cent a year. Despite falling real energy prices and robust economic growth, annual average growth in energy consumption has remained around 2.3 per cent.

This trend indicates a longer term decline in energy intensity of the Australian economy which can be attributed to two main factors. First, greater efficiency has been achieved through technological improvement and fuel switching. Second, rapid growth has occurred in less energy intensive sectors such as the commercial and services sector relative to the more moderate growth of the energy intensive manufacturing sector. Trends in energy intensity are not uniform across Australia. For example, in recent decades the growing resources sector of Western Australia has contributed to energy intensity being higher in this state than in Victoria, where the services sector has grown strongly.
Energy consumption by fuel
Australian primary energy consumption consists predominantly of petroleum and coal. Black and brown coal accounted for the greatest share of the fuel mix, at around 40 per cent, followed by petroleum products (34 per cent), natural gas (20 per cent) and renewable energy sources (5 per cent). The share of natural gas in Australian energy consumption has increased in the past 30 years and this trend is likely to continue in the longer term.
 
4 Gross energy consumption
by state, by fuel, 2006-07
black
coal
brown
coal
renewables a
petroleum
products
natural
gas
state
share b
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
%
New South Wales
807
62
46
567
139
28
Victoria
0
675
27
447
261
24
Queensland
648
0
116
491
109
23
Western Australia
125
0
14
279
474
15
South Australia
70
0
9
112
115
5
Tasmania
15
0
44
41
13
2
Northern Territory
0
0
0
64
45
2
Total
1 664
737
285
2 001
1 157
Share of total
28%
13%
5%
34%
20%
a State breakdown does not include wind, solar PV or biogas which are included in the total. b Excluding wind, solar PV and biogas.
Source: ABARE, Australian energy statistics.
5 Australian energy consumption
by fuel
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
Consumption of fuels
Black coal
1 518
1 566
1 625
1 639
1 664
Brown coal/lignite
674
679
693
705
675
Coke
75
80
77
76
77
Coal by-products
70
75
72
80
81
Brown coal briquettes
8
8
8
9
9
Wood, woodwaste
99
97
92
90
93
Bagasse
95
101
101
109
111
Refinery input
1 626
1 496
1 534
1413
1 510
Petroleum products
1 781
1 882
1 971
1981
2 001
Natural gas
1 024
1 059
1 074
1 069
1 157
Town gas
5
5
6
8
8
Solar energy
3
3
3
2
6
Total electricity
837
866
901
914
941
of which Hydro electricity
59
57
56
57
52
 and wind and solar PV
1
2
3
6
23
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Production of derived fuels
Coke
97
103
103
98
98
Coal by-products
61
64
62
76
78
Brown coal briquettes
5
4
3
2
2
Petroleum products a
1 640
1 546
1 621
1 424
1 530
Town gas
5
5
5
5
5
Thermal electricity
781
810
841
847
855
Total energy
   consumption b
5 257
5 422
5 526
5 640
5 770
a Production may exceed refinery input as some petroleum products are produced from other petroleum products. b Total energy consumption is the total quantity (in energy units) of primary and derived fuels consumed less the quantity of derived fuels produced. Totals may not add because of rounding.
Source: ABARE, Australian energy statistics.
6 Australian energy supply and disposal, 2006-07
coal and coal
by-products
natural gas,
CSM
crude oil
and ORF
propane,
butane, LPG
refined
products
liquid/ gas
biofuels
biomass
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
Supply
Primary indigenous
9 292.7
1 792.6
1 056.6
120.6
12.8
204.6
plus all imports  
214
984.9
19.2
642.3
    
less all exports
6 943.3
826.9
593.9
72.6
144.1
less stock changes
   and discrepancies
25
22
–60.4
6.8
77
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Total domestic
   availability
2 324.4
1 157.8
1 508.1
60.4
421.2
12.8
204.6
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less conversions
Coke ovens
13.2
0.9
Briquetting
4.5
Petroleum refining
22.3
1 514.2
–36.0
–1 478.2
Gas manufacturing
3.7
  
1.4
Electricity generation a
2 050.2
284.2
0.1
25.3
7.3
4.7
Other conversion b
42.2
–8.9
–7.4
14.9
Fuel use in conversion
24.6
2.1
120.1
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Final domestic
   availability c
214.3
823
2.7
100.2
1 738.2
5.6
200
Disposal
Agriculture
0.1
1.6
83.2
Mining
7.8
242.2
1.3
1.2
147.5
Food, beverages, textiles
13.4
38.6
0.6
1
15.3
1.8
115.5
Wood, paper and printing
11.9
20.7
0.8
1.5
18.7
Chemical
12.5
88.2
14.2
61.2
Iron and steel
55.7
26.2
0.5
1.8
Non-ferrous metals
73.2
144.8
0.8
0.6
49.2
2.3
Other industry
30.8
80.1
5.3
10.7
1.9
0.9
Construction
3.1
0.3
22.7
  
Road transport
1.6
61.4
951
1.9
Rail transport
0
27.7
Air transport
217.8
Water transport
5.2
0.1
61.7
Commercial and services
3.7
43.8
3
a
  
0.3
Residential
0.2
133.5
10.2
1.3
  
62.3
Lubes, bitumen, solvents
62.7
  
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Gross final energy
   disposal
214.3
823
2.7
100.2
1 738.2
5.6
200
solar/ wind
electricity
hydro-
electricity
total
electricity
solar hot
water
U3O8
uranium
total
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
Supply
Primary indigenous
22.5
52
5.9
4 509.0
17 069.4
plus all imports
1 860.4
less all exports
4 473.9
13 054.7
less stock changes
  and discrepancies
35.1
105.3
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Total domestic
   availability
22.5
52
5.9
5 769.8
less conversions
Coke ovens
0.1
14.1
Briquetting
0.2
4.8
Petroleum refining
7.1
29.3
Gas manufacturing
0.1
5.2
Electricity generation a
22.5
52
–901.0
1 545.3
Other conversion b
–46.0
–5.2
Fuel use in conversion
134.7
281.5
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Final domestic
   availability c
804.8
5.9
3 894.8
Disposal
Agriculture
6.7
91.6
Mining
69.4
469.4
Food, beverages, textiles
29.1
215.3
Wood, paper and printing
21.1
74.8
Chemical
22.7
198.8
Iron and steel
27.3
111.5
Non-ferrous metals
185.4
456.4
Other industry
25.9
155.5
Construction
0.3
26.3
Road transport
1 016.0
Rail transport
8.1
35.8
Air transport
217.8
Water transport
67
Commercial and services
178.2
3.7
255.8
Residential
230.5
2.2
440.2
Lubes, bitumen, solvents
62.7
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Gross final energy
   disposal
804.8
5.9
3 894.8
a Grid connected power stations only, except for Total electricity. b Includes return streams to refineries from the petrochemical industry, consumption of coke in blast furnaces, blast furnace gas manufacture, electricity produced through cogeneration and lignite tar in char manufacture. c After conversion sector use and losses. Equals gross final energy disposal which is the final disposal of energy within the end use sectors.
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. Because it is not possible to separate the fuels used to produce embedded electricity, those fuels are included in the industry in which production occurs although the electricity produced is included under Total electricity against Electricity generation and Other conversion.
Source: ABARE, Australian energy statistics.
 
Energy consumption by industry
Australia’s primary energy consumption is estimated to have risen by 2.3 per cent in 2006-07 to 5770 petajoules. The diagram of Australia’s energy flows (page 17) is a simplification of the energy supply and disposal table (table 6). It shows the movement of primary fuels from the point at which they become available, through Australia’s energy conversion sectors, until the final distribution to industries and households. Domestically produced or imported primary energy may be used directly by industries and households but is generally first transformed in refineries and power plants for use as petroleum products and electricity. Additionally, many final energy products are not manufactured in Australia, but are directly imported for use by Australian industries and households. Australia is a net exporter of primary energy, with a far greater amount of Australia’s primary energy production exported than consumed domestically.

The major energy using sectors of electricity generation, transport and manufacturing, together accounted for more than 75 per cent of Australia’s energy consumption. Next in terms of energy consumption were the mining, residential, and commercial and services sectors.
 
7 Energy consumption in Australia
by industry
1974-75
1979-80
1989-90
1999-00
2006-07
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
PJ
Agriculture
39
47
55
72
92
Mining
65
81
160
273
457
Manufacturing
928
965
1 067
1 192
1 369
Electricity generation
540
743
1 066
1 427
1 695
Construction
29
38
41
29
26
Transport
701
825
1 012
1 267
1 359
Commercial a
87
104
151
219
252
Residential
246
262
322
392
442
Other b
59
66
69
77
78
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Total
2 695
3 131
3 944
4 946
5 770
a Includes ANZSIC Divisions F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q and the water, sewerage and drainage industries. b Includes consumption of lubricants and greases, bitumen and solvents, as well as energy consumption in the gas production and distribution industries.
Source: ABARE, Australian energy statistics.
8 Australian consumption of petroleum products
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
ML
ML
ML
ML
ML
LPG a
3  569
3  386
4  050
4  038
4  024
Automotive gasoline
19  962
19  876
19  048
19  251
19  234
Avgas
90
91
86
90
88
Turbine fuel
4  329
4  730
5  359
5  837
6  070
Kerosene
22
12
27
32
43
Heating oil
46
34
25
15
12
Automotive diesel oil
14  461
15  185
15  804
17  028
18  245
Industrial diesel fuel
17
15
19
15
11
Fuel oil
1  466
1  595
1  586
1  513
1  583
Lubes and greases
618
470
451
421
435
Bitumen
742
812
805
808
785
Other  b
953
939
973
699
258
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Total products c
46  276
47  145
48  234
49  746
50  788
a Includes LPG used as petrochemical feedstock. b Includes other refined products, crude oil used as a fuel and specialty feedstocks. c Some petroleum products are produced from the conversion of other petrochemical products. Sources: RET, Australian petroleum statistics.
Australian energy flows