2013
Australian
Energy
Update
July 2013
Nhu Che, Alex Feng, Caitlin McCluskey,
Pam Pham, Tom Willcock and George Stanwix
© Commonwealth of Australia 2013
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Che, N., Feng, A., McCluskey, C., Pham, P., Willcock, T. and Stanwix, G. 2013,
2013 Australian Energy Update, BREE, Canberra, July.
Excel tables should be cited as:
BREE 2013, 2013 Australian Energy Statistics, BREE, Canberra, July.
ISSN 1839-XXXX (Print)
ISSN 978-1-921516-00-9 (Online)
Postal address:
Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics
GPO Box 1564
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia
Phone: +61 2 6276 1000
Email: info@bree.gov.au
Web: www.bree.gov.au
ii
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their appreciation for the assistance and support provided by
Wayne Calder, Geoff Armitage, Bruce Wilson, Kate Martin, Martin Nguyen and colleagues from the
Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics, Jeremy Ainscough of the Clean Energy Regulator, David
Cosgrove and David Gargett of the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics and
members of the Departments of Resources, Energy and Tourism and Innovation, Industry, Climate
Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
iii
Foreword
The Australian Energy Statistics is the authoritative and official source of energy data for Australia and
forms the basis of Australia’s international reporting obligations. The dataset is updated annually and
consists of detailed historical energy consumption, production and trade statistics compiled from
various sources. The data covers the period 1973–74 to 2011–12.
The published data are intended for a wide audience, including industry, government and the broader
community, and to meet international requirements for compilation of energy balances. The statistics
are especially significant at a time as we seek to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions
and improve energy productivity in the Australian economy.
The Australia Energy Update summarises and highlights the key results from the latest Australian
Energy Statistics release. I encourage you to access and use the data available at www.bree.gov.au.
Bruce Wilson
A/g Executive Director
July 2013
iv
Contents
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. iii
Foreword ................................................................................................................................................. iv
Abbreviations and acronyms ................................................................................................................... vi
Glossary .................................................................................................................................................. vii
Conversions/Units ................................................................................................................................... ix
1. Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Sources, methodology and coverage ................................................................................................... 2
3. Consumption ........................................................................................................................................ 5
4. Production and trade............................................................................................................................ 9
Appendix................................................................................................................................................. 13
Figures
Figure 1: Australian energy consumption, by fuel type............................................................................ 5
Figure 2: Australian energy production, by fuel type ............................................................................... 9
Figure 3: Australian electricity generation, by fuel type ........................................................................ 10
Figure 4: Australian energy exports, by fuel type................................................................................... 11
Figure A1: Total primary energy supply ................................................................................................. 13
Figure A2: Total net energy consumption .............................................................................................. 14
Tables
Table 1: NGERS reporting thresholds ....................................................................................................... 2
Table 2: 2013 Australian Energy Statistics Tables .................................................................................... 4
Table 3: Australian energy consumption, by fuel type ............................................................................. 6
Table 4: Australian renewable energy consumption, by fuel type ........................................................... 6
Table 5: Australian total final energy consumption, by industry ............................................................. 6
Table 6: Australian energy consumption, by state ................................................................................... 7
Table 7: Australian energy production, by fuel type .............................................................................. 10
Table 8: Australian electricity generation, by fuel type.......................................................................... 11
Table 9: Australian energy exports, by fuel type .................................................................................... 12
An accessibility version of the report and associated tables are located on the BREE website:
bree.gov.au
v
Abbreviations and acronyms
ABARES Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences
ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
ADO
Automotive diesel oil
AES
Australian Energy Statistics
ANZSIC Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification
BREE
Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics
CSG
Coal seam gas
DCCEE Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
FES
Fuel and Electricity Survey
GWh
Gigawatt hours
IDF
Industrial diesel fuel
IEA
International Energy Agency
FOE
Fuel oil equivalent
LNG
Liquefied natural gas (principally methane)
LPG
Liquefied petroleum gas (principally propane and butane)
NEM
National electricity market
NGERS National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme
NGL
Natural gas liquids
ORF
Other refinery feedstock
PJ
Petajoules
PV
Photovoltaic
RET
Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism
SRES
Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
TFEC
Total Final Energy Consumption
TPES
Total Primary Energy Supply
vi
Glossary
Bagasse: Fibrous residue of the sugar cane milling process that is used as a fuel (to raise steam) in
sugar mills.
Biofuels: Liquid fuels produced by chemical conversion processes that result in the production of
ethanol and biodiesel.
Biogas: Landfill (garbage tips) gas and sewage gas. Also referred to as biomass gas.
Black coal: Hard coal with high energy content. In Australia, anthracite, bituminous and subbituminous coals are referred to as black coal.
Brown coal: Has a low energy and high ash content. It is unsuitable for export and is used to generate
electricity in power stations located at or near the mine. Also referred to as Lignite.
Coal by-product: By-products such as blast furnace gas (from iron and steel processing), coal tar and
benzene/toluene/xylene (BTX) feedstock and coke oven gas (from the coke making process).
Coal seam gas: Methane held within coal deposits, bonded to coal under the pressure of water. It
may also contain small amounts of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Also referred to as coal seam
methane and coal bed methane. Included in Natural Gas in the AES tables.
Coke: A porous solid composed mainly of carbon and ash which is used in blast furnaces that produce
iron.
Conversion: The process of transforming one form of energy into another (derived) form before final
end use. Energy used in conversion is the energy content of fuels consumed as well as transformed by
energy producing industries. Examples are gas and liquefied petroleum gas used in town gas
manufacturing, all hydrocarbons used as feedstock in oil refineries, and all fuels (including electricity)
used in power stations—therefore, energy used in conversion also includes energy lost in the
production, conversion and transport of fuels (such as energy lost in coke production) plus net energy
consumed by pumped storage after allowance for the energy produced.
Crude oil: Naturally occurring mixture of liquid hydrocarbons under normal temperature and
pressure.
Condensate: Hydrocarbons recovered from the natural gas stream that are liquid under normal
temperature and pressure.
Domestic availability: Total energy available for consumption within the economy. This measure can
be compared with total primary energy supply (TPES).
Liquid fuels: All liquid hydrocarbons, including crude oil, condensate, liquefied petroleum gas and
other refined petroleum products, and liquid biofuels.
Natural gas: Methane that has been processed to remove impurities to a required standard for
consumer use. It may contain small amounts of ethane, propane, carbon dioxide and inert gases such
as nitrogen. In Australia, natural gas comes from conventional gas and coal seam gas. Also referred to
as sales gas in some sectors of the gas industry.
Natural gas liquids: Derived from the natural gas stream in separation and/or liquefaction facilities,
excludes Methane.
Non-renewable resources: Resources, such as fossil fuels (crude oil, gas, coal) and uranium that are
depleted by extraction.
vii
Petajoule: The joule is the standard unit of energy in general scientific applications. One joule is the
equivalent of one watt of power radiated or dissipated for one second. One petajoule, or 278
gigawatt hours, is the heat energy content of about 43 000 tonnes of black coal or 29 million litres of
petrol.
Petroleum: Generic term for all hydrocarbon oils and gases, including refined petroleum products.
Petroleum products: All hydrocarbons used directly as fuel. These include liquefied petroleum gas,
refined products used as fuels (aviation gasoline, automotive gasoline, power kerosene, aviation
turbine fuel, lighting kerosene, heating oil, automotive diesel oil, industrial diesel fuel, fuel oil,
refinery fuel and naphtha) and refined products used in nonfuel applications (solvents, lubricants,
bitumen, waxes, petroleum coke for anode production and specialised feedstocks). Included in oil
aggregates in the AES tables.
Primary production: The forms of energy obtained directly from nature, involving only the extraction
or collection of the energy source. They include non-renewable energy sources such as coal, uranium,
crude oil and condensate, naturally occurring liquefied petroleum gas, ethane and methane, and
renewable energy sources such as wood, bagasse, landfill gas, hydroelectricity, wind energy, solar
energy and geothermal energy. Also referred to as indigenous production.
Renewable resources: Resources that can be replenished at a rate equal or greater than the rate of
depletion, such as biomass, hydro, solar, wind, ocean and geothermal.
Secondary fuels: The forms of energy that result from transforming primary fuels. They include
electricity, petroleum products, LPG produced in refineries and liquid biofuels produced through the
transformation of agricultural or waste feedstocks. Also referred to as derived fuels produced.
Solar energy: Generated when energy from the sun is converted into electricity or used to heat air,
water and other fluids.
Total final energy consumption: The total amount of energy consumed in the final or end-use
sectors. It is equal to total primary energy supply less energy consumed or lost in conversion,
transmission and distribution.
Total net energy consumption: A measure of the total energy used within the economy. At an
aggregate level, total net energy consumption is equivalent to total primary energy supply.
Total primary energy supply: A measure of the total energy supplied within the economy. It is equal
to indigenous production plus imports minus exports, plus stock changes and statistical discrepancies.
It includes the supply of both primary and secondary fuels.
Uranium: a mildly radioactive element that once mined is processed into uranium oxide (U3O8).
viii
Conversions/Units
Metric units
Standard metric prefixes
J
joule
k
kilo
103 (thousand)
L
litre
M
mega
106 (million)
t
tonne
G
giga
109 (billion)
g
gram
T
tera
1012
Wh
watt-hours
P
peta
1015
b
billion (1000 million)
E
exa
1018
Standard conversions
1 barrel = 158.987 L
1 mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) = 41.868 PJ
1 kWh = 3600 kJ
1 MBTU (million British thermal units) = 1055 MJ
1 m3 (cubic metre) = 35.515 f3 (cubic feet)
1 L LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) = 0.254 m3 natural gas
Conversion factors are at a temperature of 15°C and pressure of 1 atmosphere.
Indicative energy content conversion factors
Black coal production
30 GJ/t
Brown coal
9.8 GJ/t
Crude oil production
37 MJ/L
Naturally occurring LPG
26.5 MJ/L
LNG exports
54.4 GJ/t
Natural gas (gaseous production equivalent)
40 MJ/kL
Biomass
11.9 GJ/t
Hydroelectricity, wind and solar energy
3.6 TJ/GWh
ix
1. Summary
The 2013 Australian Energy Update outlines some of the major trends observed in the 2013
Australian Energy Statistics, the authoritative and official source of energy data for Australia. The
2013 Australian Energy Statistics includes historical revisions back to 2002–03 that incorporate
improved information from the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme and the addition
of data for 2011–12.
Key trends in the 2013 report include:

Total primary energy supply, the equivalent of total energy consumption, increased by 2 per
cent, relative to 2010-11, to total 6 194 petajoules in 2011-12. This contrasts with a 3 per
cent growth reported in the previous period.

This result was mainly driven by strong growth in energy use in the commercial and services
sector and modest growth in the transport, mining, agricultural and residential sectors.
Energy consumption in manufacturing and construction, however, decreased in 2011-12
relative to 2010-11.

Fuel use patterns continued to change with strong growth in the use of natural gas (4 per
cent) and oil products (8 per cent) while coal consumption fell by 5 per cent in energy
content terms. The fall in coal use was primarily due to a large decrease in consumption in
the iron and steel making sector.

In 2011-12 consumption of renewable energy declined by 7 per cent, relative to 2010-11,
largely due to a fall in hydro energy consumption associated with lower hydroelectricity
output in southeast Australia due to reduced water in-flows. Reduced hydro energy
consumption more than offset the very strong growth observed in wind and solar energy.

Total energy production (which includes energy exports) in 2011–12 increased by 5 per cent,
relative to 2010-11, to total 17 460 petajoules, reflecting strong growth in natural gas (8 per
cent), black and brown coal (5 and 6 per cent) and uranium (6 per cent) production.
Production of crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas fell 6 per cent, and renewable energy
decreased by 7 per cent in 2011–12 compared to 2010–11.

Total electricity generation increased slightly relative to 2010-11, to about 253 851 gigawatt
hours in 2011–12 with the decline in hydro generation being met by increased generation
from black coal and other renewable energy sources, notably biogas, bagasse, solar and
wind. Total gas consumption in electricity generation was effectively stable.

In energy content terms, Australia’s energy exports increased by 5 per cent in 2011-12
relative to 2010-11, to 13 986 petajoules after the fall seen in the previous period due to the
impact of natural disasters. This return to growth was driven largely by rebounding exports
of uranium oxide and black coal which increased by 8 and 6 per cent, respectively.
1
2. Sources, methodology and coverage
The Australian Energy Statistics (AES) is the main official source of energy data for Australia and forms
the basis of Australia’s international reporting obligations. The primary source of information for the
AES is data compiled under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS). NGERS
provides a data set covering the production and consumption of fuels across the main energy
consumers and producers in a number of sectors, spanning from primary production, through
transformation, to final use. For large, energy-intensive sectors, including mining and non-ferrous
metals, there is almost complete coverage of the production and consumption of energy.
Under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007, businesses that consume and/or
produce more than a minimum level of energy are subject to mandatory reporting requirements.
These thresholds are designed to include all large energy consuming entities to ensure the majority of
Australia’s energy consumption and production is covered (see table 1). Small and medium businesses
with energy consumption or production less than these thresholds are excluded from the NGERS
dataset.
Table 1: NGERS reporting thresholds
Year
Emissions
Energy
Controlling corporations a
2008–09
125 000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent
500 terajoules consumption/production
2009–10
87 500 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent
350 terajoules consumption/production
From 2010–11
50 000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent
200 terajoules consumption/production
25 000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent
100 terajoules consumption/production
Facilities b
All years
Source: Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
a If a business breaks the controlling corporation threshold it must report its energy consumption, production and/or emissions
data for each facility under its control.
b If a business does not break the controlling corporation threshold, but one of the facilities under its control breaks the facility
threshold, that business is only required to report for that facility.
Prior to the introduction of NGERS in 2011, the Fuel and Electricity Survey (FES) compiled by the
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) was the primary
data source for the AES. The FES was a nationwide annual survey of around 1 400 large energy users
and producers on the quantity of fuels and electricity they produced and consumed. The survey
respondents represented around 60 per cent of total Australian energy consumption. The FES ceased
following the establishment of NGERS to reduce the reporting required by businesses.
The change from FES to NGERS as the primary source of data should result in a more accurate
representation of energy consumption in Australia through the AES. Mandatory NGERS reporting for
entities consuming more than a defined threshold of energy should improve the estimates of energy
use for many industries that the FES was unable to adequately survey.
The use of NGERS as the primary information source has allowed for the identification of series that
require revisions to improve the accuracy of the AES. For the 2013 update, historical data was revised
back to 2002–03 to incorporate improved information from NGERS and the APS. Further information
on NGERS can be found at www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au
In developing the AES, information from other Australian Government agencies, state-based agencies,
industry associations and publicly available company reports is also drawn on to supplement and/or
validate NGERS data. These sources include trade data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS),
the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics’ (BREE) commodity database and the Australian
Petroleum Statistics (APS).
2
The AES is developed through the process of balancing energy consumption, production and trade, by
fuel type, sector and region. The energy balance provides a method of reporting energy data using a
common unit with products aggregated by category. The method enables comparison of the shares of
each fuel source in the energy supply chain and in each sector of economic activity.
The AES provides detailed energy consumption and production statistics, by state and by fuel, at an
industry-specific level. The most detailed sub-sectoral coverage is provided in the energy-intensive
manufacturing sectors and for Australia as a whole. In some cases, particularly at the state level,
specific industry detail is not able to be released for confidentiality reasons.
The data is compiled and presented using concepts and definitions intended to align the AES with the
framework used by the International Energy Agency (IEA). For example, production is categorised into
primary production (raw materials) and total primary energy supply which incorporates refining,
electricity generation and trade activities (see Appendix for a more detailed discussion). In addition,
the consumption of energy commodities is assigned to the activity not the ‘industry of ownership’.
For example the consumption of fuel in a residential vehicle is treated as a transport activity in the
AES, while industry-based approaches such as the ABS Energy Accounts (catalogue no. 4604.0) would
assign this use to the residential sector.
In order to better represent energy flows throughout the economy, the AES has traditionally used a
modified form of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) codes
introduced in 1993.This modified classification structure contained additional classes in some
industries and assumed aggregated energy use in others where appropriate. To ensure consistency
with NGERS, 2006 ANZSIC codes were introduced in the 2011 edition of the AES.
Where the 1993 ANZSIC codes did not directly correspond with the 2006 codes, either the AES or
NGER industry structure was adjusted by aggregating industries or existing data was transferred
between codes to maintain comparability between datasets. Most changes enforced by the 2006
ANZSIC codes take place within the aggregated commercial and services sector, which do not
materially affect the AES. As in the past, a modified ANZSIC classification structure has been used, to
best reflect the nature of energy flows and maintain consistency with international energy statistics
conventions.
3
The AES consists of the following 15 tables which can be accessed at: bree.gov.au
Table 2: 2013 Australian Energy Statistics Tables
Table A
Australian energy supply and consumption, 2002–03 to 2011–12, energy units
Table B
Total final energy consumption and total net energy consumption in Australia, by
industry, energy units
Total final energy consumption and total net energy consumption in Australia, by
fuel, energy units
Table C
Table D
Australian consumption of coal, by state, physical units
Table E
Australian consumption of natural gas, by state, physical units
Table F
Australian energy consumption, by industry and fuel type, energy units
Table G
Australian energy consumption, physical units
Table H
Australian production of primary fuels, physical units
Table I
Australian consumption of electricity, by state, physical units
Table J
Australian energy supply and trade, by fuel type, energy units
Table K
Australian consumption of petroleum products, physical units
Table L
Australian petroleum supply and disposal, energy units
Table M
Australian energy imports, by fuel type, physical units
Table N
Australian energy exports, by fuel type, physical units
Table O
Australian electricity generation, by fuel type, physical units
Excel tables should be cited as:
BREE 2013, 2013 Australian Energy Statistics, BREE, Canberra, July.
4
3. Energy consumption
Energy consumption measures the total amount of energy used within the Australian economy. This is
calculated from indigenous production plus imports less exports (and changes in stocks). For
statistical purposes it is also equivalent to total primary energy supply (and can also be called net
energy consumption).
This report also identifies total final energy consumption which measures energy consumed by enduse activity (i.e. excluding conversion and transmission/distribution losses). 1
In 2011–12, Australian energy consumption is estimated to have increased by 2 per cent, relative to
2010-11, to total 6 194 petajoules (figure 1).
In terms of primary fuels, black and brown coal together accounted for 34 per cent of total
consumption, its lowest relative contribution since the early 1970s. This decrease was primarily driven
by falling coal use in the iron and steel sector and, over the past 5 years, substitution away from coal
in the electricity generation sector (table 3).
Figure 1: Australian energy consumption, by fuel type
Source: 2013 AES Table C.
Petroleum based products, including crude oil, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), contributed
39 per cent of total energy consumed in 2011–12 and was a significant contributor to the growth in
overall energy consumption. Substantial increases in consumption of petroleum products in the
mining, petroleum refining, and transport, postal and warehousing sectors accounted for the majority
of this increase.
Gas comprised around 23 per cent of consumption in 2011-12 and increased by 4 per cent from 201011. This was largely driven by growth in the non-ferrous metals and manufacturing sectors. Over the
past 5 years the electricity generation sector has also provided considerable growth in gas demand
because of its greater flexibility as a fast start balancing and peak demand generation technology as
well as a lower emissions intensity generation source.
1
Appendix provides further explanation of statistical definitions of energy consumption and supply.
5
Table 3: Australian total primary energy consumption, by fuel type
PJ
growth %
share %
2011-12
2 118
2010-11 to
2011-12
-4.7
5 year average
annual growth
-2.3
34.2
Oil
2 411
8.5
10.6
38.9
Gas
1 399
4.2
1.2
22.6
265
-7.3
-2.8
4.3
6 194
2.0
2.7
100
Coal
Renewables
Total
Source: 2013 AES Table C.
Renewable energy consumption remained at around 4 per cent of total energy consumption in
2011–12, despite a 7 per cent fall compared to 2010-11.
Among the renewable energy sources, solar energy demonstrated the fastest growth increasing by 20
per cent from 2010-11 to 2011–12, albeit from a relatively low base (table 4). This was partly driven
by the improving cost-attractiveness of household solar systems along with supportive government
programs at both the national and state levels, including the small-scale renewable energy scheme
(SRES. Similarly, supportive policy settings saw wind energy consumption increase by 5 per cent in
2011-12 relative to 2010-11.
Table 4: Australian renewable energy consumption, by fuel type
PJ
growth %
2011-12
2010-11 to 2011-12
165
11
51
22
17
265
-0.9
-55.7
-16.2
5.3
19.9
-7.3
Biomass
Biogas/biofuels
Hydro
Wind
Solar
Total
Source: 2013 AES Table A.
In 2011–12 hydro energy consumption fell by 16 per cent, relative to 2010-11, largely associated with
lower hydroelectricity output in southeast Australia due to reduced water in-flows compared to the
previous year when above average water inflows were recorded.
Consumption of biomass, including wood and bagasse, fell marginally by 1 per cent in 2011–12. Lower
sugar production reduced the availability of inputs for energy consumption. In addition, a strong
decline in biomass use by the food, beverages and textile industry was associated with falling bagasse
process heat exploitation.
Australia’s total final energy consumption (TFEC), which includes consumption of secondary fuels, is
estimated to have increased by 0.5 per cent, relative to 2010-11, to 3 963 petajoules in 2011–12
(table 5). The strongest growth was in the commercial sector; increasing by around 9 per cent to 311
petajoules in 2011-12 compared to 2010-11. Further support was provided by a 2 per cent increase in
energy consumption in both the transport sector and the mining sector. Final energy consumption in
the agriculture and residential sectors increased only slightly.
Table 5: Australian total final energy consumption, by industry
PJ
6
growth %
share %
Agriculture
Mining
Manufacturing and construction
Transport
Commercial
Residential
Other
Total
2011-12
2010-11 to
2011-12
2011-12
95.8
536.2
995.2
1512.4
311.2
453.2
58.5
3962.5
1.5
1.7
-3.9
2.0
8.8
0.3
-11.4
0.5
2.4
13.5
25.1
38.2
7.9
11.4
1.5
100
Source: 2013 AES Table B.
Total final energy consumption (TFEC) in the manufacturing and construction sectors and the other2
sector decreased by approximately 4 and 11 per cent respectively, in 2011–12 compared to 2010-11.
Within manufacturing and construction, a large decrease in the iron and steel industry (of around 66
petajoules) offset increases in consumption in the petroleum refining and non-ferrous metals
industries.
As is the case nationally, energy consumption across Australia’s states and territories largely reflects
the economic structure of each region. A continuing shift in the composition of Australian industry
from energy-intensive manufacturing to less energy-intensive services over several decades,
combined with the rising energy requirements associated with the mining boom, is changing the
pattern of regional energy consumption.
In 2011–12 total energy consumption increased in Queensland by 4 per cent, driven by growth in the
electricity generation; the Northern Territory increased by 3 per cent, due to growth in the gas
production and distribution sector; and Western Australia increased marginally by 1 per cent, driven
by the transport sector, relative to 2010-11.
Victorian and Tasmanian total energy consumption increased more strongly, by 5 and 3 per cent
respectively, between 2010-11 and 2011-12. In Tasmania this growth was driven by the
manufacturing and commercial and services sectors. In Victoria, manufacturing, electricity generation,
commercial and transport sector growth more than offset lower consumption in the residential and
other sectors.
Total energy consumption grew only marginally in South Australia and decreased by around 1 per
cent in New South Wales. In South Australia, increases in the manufacturing, transport and residential
sectors slightly offset a large fall in the electricity generation sector. In New South Wales falling use by
the manufacturing sector was the primary cause of decreasing energy consumption and offset small
growth in the mining, transport and commercial sectors.
Table 6: Australian energy consumption, by state
PJ
growth %
share %
2011-12
2010-11 to
2011-12
2011-12
New South Wales
Victoria
1 652
1 547
-1.2
4.8
26.7
25.0
Queensland
1 353
3.5
21.8
2
Other includes consumption of lubricants and greases, bitumen and solvents, as well as energy consumption in
the gas production and distribution industries.
7
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Northern Territory
Total
Source: 2013 AES Table B.
8
391
1 015
0.6
1.3
6.3
16.4
114
3.2
1.8
124
6 194
3.4
2.0
2.0
100
4. Energy production and trade
Energy production is defined as the total amount energy produced in the Australian economy for all
purposes. This includes energy produced for consumption, export and transformation and
distribution.
In 2011–12, Australia produced 17 460 petajoules of primary energy, almost three times Australia’s
total energy consumption and an increase of around 5 per cent relative to 2010–11. This pattern
reflects the relative size of Australia’s energy exports compared with domestic use. The growth in
primary energy productions was primarily due to rebounding coal and uranium production in
Queensland and the Northern Territory. Increasing gas production also more than offset a small fall in
renewable energy and oil and LPG production (figure 2).
Figure 2: Australian energy production, by fuel type
Source: 2013 AES Table J.
The largest increase in energy production came from black coal, which increased by 5 per cent in
2011–12, primarily because of resumed operations at flood affected facilities in Queensland (table 7).
The energy associated with the combined production of Australian crude oil, condensate and LPG
declined by 6 per cent relative to 2010-11. This largely reflected declining production at maturing
fields in the Bass Strait. The increase in gas production was largely a result of increases in natural gas
extraction from coal seams in Eastern Australia and conventional sources in Western Australia.
Increased uranium oxide output primarily reflected returning production at flood affected facilities in
the Northern Territory.
Renewable energy currently accounts for about 2 per cent, or around 265 petajoules, of primary
production in Australia. Bioenergy sources such as wood, bagasse and biogas account for most
renewable energy produced in Australia, followed by hydro, wind and solar. In 2011–12, renewable
energy decreased by 7 per cent as lower production of bio- and hydro-energy more than offset higher
production from solar and wind energy.
9
Table 7: Australian energy production, by fuel type
PJ
2011-12
Black coal
Brown coal
Oil and LPG
Gas
Uranium oxide
Renewables
Total
9 672
735
994
2 270
3 525
265
17 460
growth%
2010-11 to
5 year average
2011-12
annual growth
5.3
2.4
5.7
0.6
-6.2
-1.4
8.4
8.3
6.1
-9.3
-7.3
-2.8
4.9
-0.3
share %
55.4
4.2
5.7
13.0
20.2
1.5
100
Source: 2013 AES Table J.
In 2011–12, Australian electricity generation increased by around 0.5 per cent from 2010-11 to
254 000 gigawatt hours (or around 914 petajoules) with increases occurring in coal, wind and solar
generation (figure 3). Decreased hydro generation, due to lower water inflows in Australia’s southern
regions, was the only renewable energy resource to provide less electricity to the energy mix.
While generation in the National Electricity Market (NEM) has been marginally declining since 2008–
09, off-grid generation, largely supported by growth in the mining sector, has been increasing rapidly.
Factors moderating growth in total electricity generation include reduced demand arising from rising
retail electricity prices and milder weather, as well as long-term structural changes in the economy.
Figure 3: Australian electricity generation, by fuel type
a includes wind, hydro, solar PV and bioenergy.
b includes multi-fuel power plants.
Source: 2013 AES Table O.
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Electricity generation from renewable sources including wind, hydro and solar has increased rapidly
over the last five years (table 8). In particular, estimated electricity generation from solar and wind
increased substantially, by 95 and 20 per cent, respectively. Despite this medium-term growth, falling
hydro generation in 2011-12 more than offset increasing generation from other renewable sources.
The strong growth in solar energy was largely a result of government policies that encouraged the
increased uptake of solar PV in the residential sector.
Table 8: Australian electricity generation, by fuel type
GWh
2011-12
Fossil fuels
Black coal
Brown coal
Gas
Oil
Other a
Renewable energy
Bioenergy
Wind
Hydro
Solar PV
Total
growth %
2010-11 to
5 year average
2011-12
annual growth
share %
120 302
55 060
48 892
3 070
2 500
2.9
-0.4
-0.2
-0.8
-8.0
-2.3
-0.2
9.8
-10.5
83.0
47.4
21.7
19.3
1.2
1.0
2 343
6 113
14 083
1 489
253 851
11.5
5.3
-16.2
75.1
0.5
-15.1
19.5
6.8
95.2
1.0
0.9
2.4
5.5
0.6
100
a Includes multi-fuel fired power plants
Source: 2013 AES Table O.
Australia’s exports of energy commodities increased by 5 per cent in energy content terms to total
13 986 petajoules in 2011–12, relative to 2010-11 (figure 4). This was largely a result of increased
exports of black coal and uranium oxide as production rebounded following weather-related
interruptions in 2010-11 (table 9). In energy content terms, coal accounted for 61 per cent
(8 516 petajoules) of Australia’s energy exports in 2011–12 while uranium accounted for around
one-quarter (3 525 petajoules). Given the large share of these two commodities in energy content
terms, any changes in export volumes have a large effect on Australia’s total energy export volumes.
Figure 4: Australian energy exports, by fuel type
Source: 2013 AES Table J.
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Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports decreased slightly in 2011-12 relative to 2010-11 due to
maintenance at exporting facilities in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Despite this, LNG
exports have been growing strongly over the past five years, by around 10 per cent on average per
year. This is projected to dramatically increase in coming years as new LNG projects ramp up to full
production rates.
Table 9: Australian energy exports, by fuel type
PJ
2011-12
Black coal
Natural gas
Uranium oxide
Oil and LPG
Refined petroleum products
Total
8 516
1 048
3 525
768
129
13 986
growth %
2010-11 to
5 year average
2011-12
annual growth
5.8
4.3
-3.5
9.9
7.9
-9.3
-3.2
4.6
13.7
-3.6
5.1
0.3
share %
60.9
7.5
25.2
5.5
0.9
100
Source: 2013 AES Table J.
Australia is a net importer of liquid hydrocarbons, notably crude oil and most petroleum products. In
2011–12, Australia exported around 897 petajoules of liquid fuels (including oil, LPG and refined
products, but excluding LNG) and imported around 1 961 petajoules. Net imports of liquid fuels
increased by 3 per cent (from 2010-11 to 2011-12) as imports grew at a faster pace than exports,
primarily due to growing demand for transport diesel oil in the mining sector.
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Appendix
Energy statistics definitions
In the past, statistics for energy use at the end-use stage, or final energy consumption, have included
some conversion activities in the sector in which they occur. For example, electricity generated in the
mining sector has historically been included in the mining sector, resulting in some overestimation of
final energy consumption. In the energy balances, this was referred to as ‘gross final energy disposal’
to reflect the inclusion of some conversion activities.
As explained above, the AES definitions were changed in 2011 for the use of energy at the end-use
stage to be in line with the International Energy Agency (IEA) definition for TFEC. The IEA framework
requires that conversion activities that occur within industry sectors be moved to the conversion
sector in the energy statistics. In the new energy balances, all conversion activities have been
transferred to the conversion sector, so it is possible to present TFEC instead of the previous ‘gross
final energy disposal’. Conversion activities that have been transferred to the conversion sector
include electricity generation (previously included in the sector in which it occurred), LNG
manufacturing (previously included in the mining end-use sector) and some chemicals manufacturing
(for example, petroleum refining, which occurs in the chemicals sector).
To better align the AES with the framework used by the IEA a number of new definitions were
introduced. The energy statistics definitions that are now used in the AES are detailed below.
Primary fuels: The forms of energy obtained directly from nature, involving only the extraction or
collection of the energy source. They include non-renewable fuels such as coal, ethane and methane,
crude oil and condensate, naturally occurring liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and uranium; and
renewable fuels such as wood, bagasse, landfill gas, hydroelectricity, wind energy and solar energy.
Secondary fuels: The forms of energy that result from transforming primary fuels. They include
electricity, petroleum products, LPG produced in refineries and liquid biofuels produced through the
transformation of agricultural or waste feedstocks.
Total primary energy supply (TPES): A measure of the total energy supplied within the economy. It is
equal to indigenous production plus imports minus exports, plus stock changes and statistical
discrepancies. TPES includes both primary and secondary fuels (figure A1).
Figure A1: Total primary energy supply
Total net energy consumption: A measure of the total energy used within the economy. At an
aggregate level, total net energy consumption is equivalent to total primary energy supply. It is equal
to consumption of all fuels minus the derived fuels produced within the economy, which is equivalent
to the total consumption of primary fuels in both the conversion and end-use sectors plus net imports
of transformed fuels.
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It includes fuel inputs in conversion activities—notably the consumption of fuels used to produce
petroleum products and electricity—and own use and losses in the conversion sector. It also includes
the consumption of transformed fuels, such as refined petroleum products, that are not produced
domestically. It does not include secondary fuels that are produced domestically, such as coke, coal
by-products and petroleum products, as the energy embodied in these fuels is already accounted for
in the primary fuels that they are produced from (figure A2).
Figure A2: Total net energy consumption
Total final energy consumption (TFEC): The total energy consumed in the final or end-use sectors. It
is equal to TPES less energy consumed or lost in conversion, transmission and distribution.
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