Embargoed until 10:45am – 25 June 2008
Households continue to drive energy demand
In 2006, households accounted for nearly 31 percent of New Zealand’s total energy demand, as stated by a report released
by Statistics New Zealand today. According to Energy and the Economy: 1997–2006, this proportion makes households the
largest consumers of energy. Most of the energy used by households during this period was in the form of petrol for
private motor vehicles (56 percent). The second largest energy consumer was the transport and storage industry, which
accounted for 25 percent of total energy demand.
The report, Energy and the Economy: 1997–2006, reviews the energy used by households, government and industry for the
period 1997 to 2006 and the links to economic activity.
From 1997 to 2006, New Zealand’s total energy demand increased by 21 percent, while economic activity, as measured by
gross domestic product (GDP), increased by 33 percent. These results suggest that the growth of New Zealand’s economy is
becoming less reliant on energy use.
The report Energy and the Economy: 1997–2006 and associated tables are available on the Statistics New Zealand website
(http://www.stats.govt.nz/). This report is part of an environmental series measuring the reliance of our economy on
natural resources.
Dallas Welch (Mrs)
Acting Government Statistician
25 June 2008
ENDS