April 27, 2006

Media Release

For Immediate Use

Energy Data File released

The Ministry of Economic Development today released the January 2006 edition of the Energy Data File. This report includes comprehensive statistics on New Zealand’s energy supply, demand and prices.

Most statistics are current to September 2005. However, electricity consumption data are current to March 2005, and oil and gas reserve data are current to 1 January 2005.

Main highlights of this edition include:

- a total primary energy supply - or the amount of energy available for transformation and use in New Zealand - of 758 petajoules in the year to September 2005 (compared with 765 petajoules in the year to September 2004)

- a 1 percent increase in total consumer energy - or the energy used by final consumers - to 517 petajoules (from 511 petajoules), during the same period

- relatively constant oil use (the major component of consumer energy) at around 250 petajoules

- a slight drop in total electricity generation to 41,250 GWh in the year to September 2005 (compared with 41,670 GWh in the year to September 2004). Of total electricity generation, 69 percent was from renewable resources. Lower hydro generation during the period was offset by increased coal and gas-based generation. A number of factors are likely to have contributed to the reduction in generation, including warmer weather during the period and reduced transmission losses with generation closer to demand centres

- relatively constant New Zealand gas production in the year to September 2005 of around 155 petajoules. Gas used for petrochemical production continued to decline, whereas gas used for electricity generation (including cogeneration) increased 22 percent, helping counterbalance reduced hydro generation

- a technical adjustment to previous estimates of residential firewood use, to reflect recent research carried out by the Building Research Association. This adjustment merely improves an estimate but does not imply any increase in actual use of firewood

- new maps showing New Zealand energy sources, including oil, gas and coal production and reserves

- the introduction of a new section covering international comparisons of energy production and use.

The Energy Data File is available on-line at the Ministry of Economic Development website. Hard copies are available at a cost of NZ$50 (plus GST and postage) each.

ENDS

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