The Federal Government has released the 2021 Australian Energy Statistics, revealing that gas consumption continues to rise, and coal remains the largest source of electricity generation – accounting for more than half of the country’s generation.
The 2021 Australian Energy Statistics cover all energy used, produced and traded in Australia, including to power the electricity system, fuel transport and sustain the manufacturing sector.
The statistics show that gas increased the most of all energy types in 2019–20 – growing four per cent, providing 27 per cent of Australia’s energy mix in 2019-20 and was the most-used energy source by the manufacturing sector, increasing to 42 per cent of manufacturers’ energy needs.
According to the latest data, coal remained the largest source of electricity generation, with 54 per cent of electricity generation from coal in 2020.
Renewables continued to increase, with the share of total generation in the calendar year 2020 rising to 24 per cent – up from 21 per cent the previous year.
Solar generation has increased a whopping 42 per cent, with solar PV (especially large scale solar PV) being the fastest growing generation type in both 2019–20 and the 2020 calendar year.
This rising renewable capacity is mostly a result of an increase in solar and a 15 per cent increase in wind generation, with solar and wind each contributing eight per cent of total generation.
Approximately 16 per cent of Australia’s electricity was generated outside the electricity sector by industry and households in 2019–20.
The statistics also highlight the significant impact COVID-19 had on some parts of Australia’s energy supply and use.
Overall energy consumption fell by 2.9 per cent in 2019-20, compared to average growth of 0.7 per cent in the previous decade. This was largely driven by a nine per cent drop in the transport sector due to less passenger air and road travel.
Energy imports also fell by seven per cent to 2,244PJ in 2019–20, most imports were of refined petroleum products and crude oil and other refinery feedstock, which fell in response to lower transport demand and the associated lower refinery output.
To read the Australian Energy Statistics, click here.
