New Zealand Coal Power: Generation, Share and Trend
New Zealand generated 490 GWh of electricity from coal in 2025, 1.1% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 70th largest coal power producer in 2025 of the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Coal supplied 33.1% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through July 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- New Zealand generated 490 GWh of electricity from coal in 2025.
- Coal supplied 1.1% of New Zealand's electricity in 2025.
- New Zealand was the 70th largest coal power producer in 2025 among the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- New Zealand's coal generation in 2025 was 71% lower than in 2020, when it was 1.70 TWh.
- New Zealand's coal generation in 2025 was 60% lower than in 2015, when it was 1.23 TWh.
- New Zealand's coal generation peaked at 5.25 TWh in 2005.
- New Zealand's coal share in 2025 was below the world share of 33.1%.
- New Zealand had 750 MW of coal generating capacity in 2025.
- Coal power in New Zealand emitted 0.43 MtCO2 in 2025, 11% of the power sector's emissions.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Coal generation | 490 GWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of New Zealand's electricity | 1.1% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of coal | 33.1% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by coal generation (each country's latest year) | 70 of 85 | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal capacity | 750 MW | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal power emissions | 0.43 MtCO2 | 2025 · Ember |
Coal Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 2000 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, GWh
| Year | Coal |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.00 TWh |
| 2001 | 1.53 TWh |
| 2002 | 1.50 TWh |
| 2003 | 3.29 TWh |
| 2004 | 4.13 TWh |
| 2005 | 5.25 TWh |
| 2006 | 4.89 TWh |
| 2007 | 2.55 TWh |
| 2008 | 4.24 TWh |
| 2009 | 2.73 TWh |
| 2010 | 1.42 TWh |
| 2011 | 1.61 TWh |
| 2012 | 2.94 TWh |
| 2013 | 1.75 TWh |
| 2014 | 1.34 TWh |
| 2015 | 1.23 TWh |
| 2016 | 440 GWh |
| 2017 | 580 GWh |
| 2018 | 980 GWh |
| 2019 | 1.59 TWh |
| 2020 | 1.70 TWh |
| 2021 | 2.60 TWh |
| 2022 | 720 GWh |
| 2023 | 530 GWh |
| 2024 | 1.20 TWh |
| 2025 | 490 GWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | New Zealand | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.6% | 38.0% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | 38.0% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | 38.3% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | 39.5% |
| 2004 | 9.8% | 39.0% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | 39.5% |
| 2006 | 11.4% | 40.2% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | 40.8% |
| 2008 | 9.8% | 40.2% |
| 2009 | 6.4% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | 39.8% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | 40.6% |
| 2012 | 6.7% | 39.9% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | 40.5% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | 38.7% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | 37.8% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | 38.0% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | 38.0% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | 35.4% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | 36.0% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | 35.6% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | 35.2% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | 34.2% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | 33.1% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity | Emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 490 GWh | 1.1% | 33.1% | 750 MW | 0.43 MtCO2 |
| 2024 | 1.20 TWh | 2.7% | 34.2% | 750 MW | 1.05 MtCO2 |
| 2023 | 530 GWh | 1.2% | 35.2% | 750 MW | 0.46 MtCO2 |
| 2022 | 720 GWh | 1.7% | 35.6% | 750 MW | 0.63 MtCO2 |
| 2021 | 2.60 TWh | 6.0% | 36.0% | 750 MW | 2.27 MtCO2 |
| 2020 | 1.70 TWh | 3.9% | 35.4% | 750 MW | 1.48 MtCO2 |
| 2019 | 1.59 TWh | 3.6% | 36.7% | 750 MW | 1.39 MtCO2 |
| 2018 | 980 GWh | 2.2% | 38.0% | 750 MW | 0.86 MtCO2 |
| 2017 | 580 GWh | 1.3% | 38.0% | 750 MW | 0.51 MtCO2 |
| 2016 | 440 GWh | 1.0% | 37.8% | 750 MW | 0.38 MtCO2 |
Full year by year history for New Zealand
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Coal Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through July 2026Monthly statistics through July 2026, TWh
| Month | Coal |
|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 290 GWh |
| 2024-09 | 80.0 GWh |
| 2024-10 | 10.0 GWh |
| 2024-11 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2024-12 | 30.0 GWh |
| 2025-01 | 60.0 GWh |
| 2025-02 | 160 GWh |
| 2025-03 | 220 GWh |
| 2025-04 | 220 GWh |
| 2025-05 | 190 GWh |
| 2025-06 | 60.0 GWh |
| 2025-07 | 50.0 GWh |
| 2025-08 | 90.0 GWh |
| 2025-09 | 50.0 GWh |
| 2025-10 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2025-11 | 30.0 GWh |
| 2025-12 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2026-01 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2026-02 | 60.0 GWh |
| 2026-03 | 110 GWh |
| 2026-04 | 10.0 GWh |
| 2026-05 | 20.0 GWh |
| 2026-06 | 50.0 GWh |
| 2026-07 | 70.0 GWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of July 2026. Monthly figures for New Zealand can differ slightly from the annual totals.