4604.0 - Energy Account, Australia, 2011-12 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/06/2014   
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MEDIA RELEASE
18 June 2014
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
76/2014
Household consumption of electricity decreasing as expenditure on electricity rises.

Australian households are using four per cent less electricity than they were four years ago, but the value of electricity used has risen by 43 per cent over the same period, a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows.

"Between 2008-09 and 2011-12 the total value, at purchasers prices, of electricity consumed by households increased by 43 per cent or $4 billion," said Peter Williams from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

"In comparison the total volume of electricity consumed by households decreased by four per cent or eight petajoules.

"Households and the manufacturing industry were the two largest domestic electricity users, with households using 24 per cent of all electricity and contributing 40 per cent of the total value of electricity use.

"The quantity of coal supplied within the Australian economy between 2010-11 and 2011-12 increased by five per cent or 457 petajoules, to 9,672 petajoules.

"Over the same period the total value increased by nine per cent or $4 billion to $52 billion.

"The quantity of coal used to produce electricity decreased by two per cent or 22 petajoules but the total value of the coal used in the production of electricity increased by six per cent or $93 million.

"Put simply, nationally we are using less coal to produce electricity but it is costing more to use." said Mr Williams.

Australia is one of the world's biggest exporters of coal, with 8,516 petajoules of coal valued at $48 billion exported in 2011-12, which was over 60 per cent of the total value of Australian exports of energy products. Between 2010-11 and 2011-12 both the volume (six per cent or 463 petajoules) and value (nine per cent or $4 billion) of coal exports increased.

Between 2010-11 and 2011-12 the value of petroleum products imported into Australia increased by 39 per cent or $4 billion to $16 billion.

The transport industry contributed 38 per cent of the total value of all industry use of petroleum products. In 2011-12 the transport industry's consumption of petroleum products was valued at $14 billion, an increase of 15 per cent or $2 billion from 2010-11.

Today's figures are part of the ABS environmental accounts programme which produce integrated energy supply and use tables in physical and monetary terms and are also used in the production of the Australian National Accounts.

Further details can be found in Australian Environmental Economic Accounts, 2014 (cat no. 4655.0), available for free download from the ABS website - www.abs.gov.au.

Media notes:
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • One petajoule is approximately 277.7 million kilowatt hours.
  • Coal refers to black coal.
  • Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.