4604.0 - Energy Account, Australia, 2008-09 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/04/2011   
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MEDIA RELEASE
29 April, 2011
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra Time)
52/2011
Supply and use of energy increases

Australia's total energy use increased by 3,479 PJ (or 19%) over the period 2001-02 to 2008-09 according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The data are from Energy Account, Australia (cat. no. 4604.0) that is part of a suite of integrated environmental-economic accounts being developed for Australia.

The export market was the single largest consumer of Australian energy products, growing by 29% between 2001–02 and 2008–09. In contrast, total domestic use of energy products showed a relatively small increase from 7,852 PJ to 8,207 PJ (or 5%) over the same seven year period.

Consumption of energy by households accounted for 12% of the total domestic energy consumption in Australia during 2008-09. While the overall contribution of households to energy production was under 1% in 2008–09, household energy production from solar quadrupled from 2 PJ in 2005-06 to 8 PJ in 2008-09.
The energy intensity of the Australian economy (excluding the electricity and gas subdivisions for which estimates were not produced) has fallen 40% in the last three decades. Despite rises in the Mining and Water Supply and Waste Services industries, energy intensity fell in most other industries over the last three decades with large declines in Transport (41% decrease) and Construction (76% decrease).

Increasing dominance of coal and iron ore production, along with growth in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production for export, contributed to the increased energy intensity for the Mining industry (79% increase since 1978-79). Water Supply and Waste Services also experienced a rise in energy intensity over the last 3 decades (53% increase).

Media notes:
  • Energy intensity is a measure of energy consumption per unit of economic output, so a decrease can be caused by either increased economic output or decreased energy consumption. While energy consumption rose by 69% over the period 1978-79 and 2008-09, a 179% increase in Industry Gross Value Added (IGVA) resulted in an overall drop in energy intensity.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.