Statistics
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Data as of 2025
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Built 2026-09-19 (19 September 2026)

Australia Electricity History, 1985 to 2025

Australia generated 124 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 287 TWh in 2025. Australia's electricity demand peaked at 287 TWh in 2025. The carbon intensity of Australia's electricity went from 759 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 525 gCO2/kWh in 2025. Figures are Ember annual statistics; Ember's series for Australia starts in 1985.

Key Facts

  • Australia generated 124 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 287 TWh in 2025.
  • Australia's electricity demand peaked at 287 TWh in 2025.
  • The carbon intensity of Australia's electricity went from 759 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 525 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
  • Australia's lowest carbon intensity on record was 525 gCO2/kWh, in 2025.
  • Coal's share of Australia's electricity went from 72.3% in 1985 to 42.7% in 2025, the largest change of any source.

Generation and Demand

1985 to 2025, TWh
Australia electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025 Australia generated 124 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 287 TWh in 2025. 0 75 150 225 300 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Australia generated 124 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 287 TWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
Australia electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025
YearGenerationDemand
1985124 TWh124 TWh
1986130 TWh130 TWh
1987136 TWh136 TWh
1988143 TWh143 TWh
1989151 TWh151 TWh
1990156 TWh156 TWh
1991158 TWh158 TWh
1992161 TWh161 TWh
1993165 TWh165 TWh
1994170 TWh170 TWh
1995175 TWh175 TWh
1996180 TWh180 TWh
1997189 TWh189 TWh
1998199 TWh199 TWh
1999207 TWh207 TWh
2000217 TWh217 TWh
2001224 TWh224 TWh
2002223 TWh223 TWh
2003226 TWh226 TWh
2004229 TWh229 TWh
2005231 TWh231 TWh
2006238 TWh238 TWh
2007243 TWh243 TWh
2008245 TWh245 TWh
2009250 TWh250 TWh
2010251 TWh251 TWh
2011256 TWh256 TWh
2012251 TWh251 TWh
2013250 TWh250 TWh
2014248 TWh248 TWh
2015254 TWh254 TWh
2016258 TWh258 TWh
2017259 TWh259 TWh
2018263 TWh263 TWh
2019266 TWh266 TWh
2020265 TWh265 TWh
2021267 TWh267 TWh
2022273 TWh273 TWh
2023273 TWh273 TWh
2024282 TWh282 TWh
2025287 TWh287 TWh

Carbon Intensity

gCO2 per kWh generated
Australia carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025 The carbon intensity of Australia's electricity went from 759 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 525 gCO2/kWh in 2025. 0 250 500 750 1,000 198519901995200020052010201520202025
The carbon intensity of Australia's electricity went from 759 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 525 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025
Australia carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025
YearCarbon intensity
1985759 gCO2/kWh
1986761 gCO2/kWh
1987772 gCO2/kWh
1988771 gCO2/kWh
1989777 gCO2/kWh
1990786 gCO2/kWh
1991785 gCO2/kWh
1992786 gCO2/kWh
1993786 gCO2/kWh
1994788 gCO2/kWh
1995793 gCO2/kWh
1996795 gCO2/kWh
1997800 gCO2/kWh
1998804 gCO2/kWh
1999803 gCO2/kWh
2000806 gCO2/kWh
2001803 gCO2/kWh
2002795 gCO2/kWh
2003792 gCO2/kWh
2004793 gCO2/kWh
2005792 gCO2/kWh
2006791 gCO2/kWh
2007791 gCO2/kWh
2008792 gCO2/kWh
2009785 gCO2/kWh
2010776 gCO2/kWh
2011749 gCO2/kWh
2012747 gCO2/kWh
2013726 gCO2/kWh
2014734 gCO2/kWh
2015730 gCO2/kWh
2016714 gCO2/kWh
2017718 gCO2/kWh
2018689 gCO2/kWh
2019670 gCO2/kWh
2020642 gCO2/kWh
2021606 gCO2/kWh
2022578 gCO2/kWh
2023557 gCO2/kWh
2024554 gCO2/kWh
2025525 gCO2/kWh

Every Year

YearGenerationDemandNet importsCarbon intensityLow carbon share
2025 287 TWh 287 TWh 0 TWh 525 gCO2/kWh 38.7%
2024 282 TWh 282 TWh 0 TWh 554 gCO2/kWh 35.1%
2023 273 TWh 273 TWh 0 TWh 557 gCO2/kWh 34.8%
2022 273 TWh 273 TWh 0 TWh 578 gCO2/kWh 32.0%
2021 267 TWh 267 TWh 0 TWh 606 gCO2/kWh 28.9%
2020 265 TWh 265 TWh 0 TWh 642 gCO2/kWh 24.3%
2019 266 TWh 266 TWh 0 TWh 670 gCO2/kWh 20.8%
2018 263 TWh 263 TWh 0 TWh 689 gCO2/kWh 18.9%
2017 259 TWh 259 TWh 0 TWh 718 gCO2/kWh 15.1%
2016 258 TWh 258 TWh 0 TWh 714 gCO2/kWh 16.2%
2015 254 TWh 254 TWh 0 TWh 730 gCO2/kWh 14.1%
2014 248 TWh 248 TWh 0 TWh 734 gCO2/kWh 13.2%
2013 250 TWh 250 TWh 0 TWh 726 gCO2/kWh 14.2%
2012 251 TWh 251 TWh 0 TWh 747 gCO2/kWh 12.1%
2011 256 TWh 256 TWh 0 TWh 749 gCO2/kWh 12.0%
2010 251 TWh 251 TWh 0 TWh 776 gCO2/kWh 8.8%
2009 250 TWh 250 TWh 0 TWh 785 gCO2/kWh 8.1%
2008 245 TWh 245 TWh 0 TWh 792 gCO2/kWh 7.8%
2007 243 TWh 243 TWh 0 TWh 791 gCO2/kWh 8.3%
2006 238 TWh 238 TWh 0 TWh 791 gCO2/kWh 8.9%
2005 231 TWh 231 TWh 0 TWh 792 gCO2/kWh 9.0%
2004 229 TWh 229 TWh 0 TWh 793 gCO2/kWh 8.5%
2003 226 TWh 226 TWh 0 TWh 792 gCO2/kWh 8.3%
2002 223 TWh 223 TWh 0 TWh 795 gCO2/kWh 8.0%
2001 224 TWh 224 TWh 0 TWh 803 gCO2/kWh 7.7%
2000 217 TWh 217 TWh 0 TWh 806 gCO2/kWh 8.1%
1999 207 TWh 207 TWh n/a 803 gCO2/kWh 8.5%
1998 199 TWh 199 TWh n/a 804 gCO2/kWh 8.5%
1997 189 TWh 189 TWh n/a 800 gCO2/kWh 9.0%
1996 180 TWh 180 TWh n/a 795 gCO2/kWh 9.4%
1995 175 TWh 175 TWh n/a 793 gCO2/kWh 9.4%
1994 170 TWh 170 TWh n/a 788 gCO2/kWh 9.9%
1993 165 TWh 165 TWh n/a 786 gCO2/kWh 10.3%
1992 161 TWh 161 TWh n/a 786 gCO2/kWh 10.3%
1991 158 TWh 158 TWh n/a 785 gCO2/kWh 10.4%
1990 156 TWh 156 TWh n/a 786 gCO2/kWh 10.0%
1989 151 TWh 151 TWh n/a 777 gCO2/kWh 10.0%
1988 143 TWh 143 TWh n/a 771 gCO2/kWh 10.5%
1987 136 TWh 136 TWh n/a 772 gCO2/kWh 10.4%
1986 130 TWh 130 TWh n/a 761 gCO2/kWh 11.2%
1985 124 TWh 124 TWh n/a 759 gCO2/kWh 11.6%

Share of Generation by Source

Percent of total generation
YearCoalGasOther fossilHydroWindSolarBioenergy
202542.7%16.4%2.2%4.3%13.7%19.7%1.1%
202445.2%17.4%2.3%4.6%11.6%17.8%1.1%
202346.0%17.1%2.1%5.5%11.7%16.5%1.2%
202247.3%18.6%2.0%6.1%11.0%13.8%1.2%
202151.4%17.8%1.9%6.0%10.0%11.7%1.3%
202053.9%20.0%1.8%5.4%8.5%9.0%1.3%
201956.4%21.0%1.9%5.3%7.3%6.9%1.3%
201859.6%19.6%2.0%6.6%6.2%4.7%1.4%
201761.5%21.3%2.1%5.2%5.1%3.4%1.4%
201662.9%18.6%2.3%6.8%5.1%2.9%1.4%
201563.9%19.6%2.5%5.6%4.7%2.4%1.5%
201462.7%21.7%2.4%5.9%4.0%2.0%1.4%
201362.3%21.1%2.4%7.7%3.7%1.5%1.3%
201266.0%19.9%2.1%6.8%3.1%1.0%1.2%
201167.1%19.0%1.9%7.6%2.5%0.8%1.0%
201070.1%18.6%2.4%5.5%2.0%0.4%1.0%
200972.8%16.5%2.6%5.1%1.8%0.1%1.1%
200875.1%14.8%2.3%4.8%1.4%0.1%1.5%
200776.3%13.7%1.7%5.4%1.2%0.0%1.8%
200678.1%11.5%1.6%6.3%0.9%0.0%1.7%
200579.3%10.1%1.6%6.7%0.6%0.0%1.7%
200478.1%11.9%1.5%6.8%0.4%0.0%1.2%
200376.8%13.3%1.6%7.2%0.3%0.0%0.8%
200276.9%13.7%1.4%7.2%0.2%0.0%0.6%
200180.2%10.9%1.2%7.2%0.1%0.0%0.4%
200083.1%7.7%1.1%7.6%0.1%0.0%0.4%
199982.7%7.8%1.0%7.9%0.0%0.0%0.6%
199883.2%7.3%1.1%7.9%0.0%0.0%0.5%
199783.3%6.4%1.2%8.4%0.0%0.0%0.5%
199682.4%6.6%1.6%8.9%0.0%0.0%0.5%
199581.0%7.8%1.8%8.9%0.0%0.0%0.5%
199480.5%8.0%1.7%9.5%0.0%0.0%0.4%
199380.6%7.4%1.7%9.9%0.0%0.0%0.4%
199280.6%7.4%1.7%9.9%0.0%0.0%0.4%
199180.5%7.1%2.0%9.9%0.0%0.0%0.5%
199079.3%8.1%2.7%9.5%0.0%0.0%0.5%
198975.0%10.0%5.1%9.4%n/an/a0.5%
198873.9%10.3%5.3%10.0%n/an/a0.5%
198773.9%10.3%5.4%10.0%n/an/a0.4%
198671.5%10.6%6.7%10.8%n/an/a0.4%
198572.3%9.3%6.8%11.3%n/an/a0.4%

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.