Global GridNew Zealand's energy mix and electricity
🇳🇿 In 2025, New Zealand generated 43.3 TWh of electricity. The largest source was hydro at 55%, followed by geothermal (22%) and wind (9.7%). In total, 88% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 12% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 93 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), far below the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes New Zealand the 19th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 43.3 TWh. Its electricity imports and exports were roughly in balance.
Since 2000, electricity generation has grown by 11%, from 38.9 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 71% to 89%. The biggest rise was in geothermal, from 7% to 22% of generation. The biggest fall was in gas, from 24% to 9%. Carbon intensity fell from 184 to 93 grams per kWh.
Live, hour-by-hour figures for New Zealand are not connected yet. The dashboard shows its yearly figures, energy mix since 2000 and interconnector trade.
Energy mix in 2025
- Hydro 55%
- Geothermal 22%
- Wind 9.7%
- Gas 8.9%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 1.5%
- Bioenergy 1.3%
- Coal 1.1%
- Solar 0.9%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 55% | 23.7 TWh |
| Geothermal | 22% | 9.44 TWh |
| Wind | 9.7% | 4.20 TWh |
| Gas | 8.9% | 3.85 TWh |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 1.5% | 0.65 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 1.3% | 0.56 TWh |
| Coal | 1.1% | 0.48 TWh |
| Solar | 0.9% | 0.39 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy New Zealand uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, New Zealand used 233 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was oil at 38%, followed by hydro (25%) and other renewables (13%). Fossil fuels made up 57% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 42%.
- Oil 38%
- Hydro 25%
- Other renewables 13%
- Gas 13%
- Coal 6.3%
- Wind 4.1%
- Solar 0.6%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Oil | 38% |
| Hydro | 25% |
| Other renewables | 13% |
| Gas | 13% |
| Coal | 6.3% |
| Wind | 4.1% |
| Solar | 0.6% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Strong. New Zealand ranks 35th of 158 countries and 2nd of 6 in Oceania. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, New Zealand produced energy equal to 50% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 50 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, hydro, made 55%. | 71 |
| Little reliance on imported power New Zealand exported more electricity than it imported, so it scores full marks. | 100 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 88% of generation. | 88 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 10% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 90 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 2,420 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in New Zealand, 0 km being built and 0 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 38.9 TWh | 71% | 28% | 184 |
| 2005 | 42.5 TWh | 64% | 35% | 254 |
| 2010 | 44.3 TWh | 74% | 27% | 179 |
| 2015 | 43.6 TWh | 80% | 21% | 143 |
| 2020 | 43.4 TWh | 80% | 20% | 142 |
| 2024 | 44.0 TWh | 86% | 15% | 112 |
| 2025 | 43.3 TWh | 89% | 12% | 93 |
Questions about New Zealand's energy
What is New Zealand's energy mix?
In 2025, New Zealand's electricity came from hydro 55%, geothermal 22%, wind 9.7% and gas 8.9%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was oil 38%, hydro 25%, other renewables 13% and gas 13%.
How much of New Zealand's electricity is renewable?
88% of its electricity came from renewables in 2025 (hydro 55%, geothermal 22%, wind 9.7% and bioenergy 1.3%).
What is New Zealand's main source of electricity?
Hydro, which made 55% of its electricity in 2025.
How clean is New Zealand's electricity?
About 93 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2025, far below the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 19th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does New Zealand import electricity?
Its imports and exports were roughly in balance in 2025.
How secure is New Zealand's energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for New Zealand is 76 out of 100 (strong), 35th of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Oceania
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea
- 🇳🇨 New Caledonia
- 🇬🇺 Guam
- 🇫🇯 Fiji
- 🇵🇫 French Polynesia
- 🇦🇸 American Samoa
- 🇼🇸 Samoa
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).