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Data as of 2024
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Built 2026-09-19 (19 September 2026)

New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea: Electricity Compared

New Zealand generated 44.0 TWh of electricity in 2024 and Papua New Guinea 4.73 TWh, according to Ember. New Zealand's largest source was hydro (53.3%); Papua New Guinea's was other fossil (57.1%). Each kWh generated emitted 112 gCO2/kWh in New Zealand and 516 gCO2/kWh in Papua New Guinea. These are Ember annual statistics for 2024, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Ember's latest annual figures for Papua New Guinea are for 2024, while New Zealand has figures to 2025, so this comparison uses 2024 for both.

Why this comparison: similar electricity demand on the same continent.

Key Facts

  • Other fossil supplied 57.1% of Papua New Guinea's electricity in 2024, against 1.5% in New Zealand.
  • Papua New Guinea's electricity was 4.6 times as carbon intensive as New Zealand's in 2024, at 516 gCO2/kWh against 112 gCO2/kWh.
  • Carbon intensity rose 4% in Papua New Guinea between 2019 and 2024, while it fell 16% in New Zealand.
  • The average person in New Zealand used 8.44 MWh of electricity in 2024, 18.8 times as much as in Papua New Guinea (0.45 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 86.0% of New Zealand's electricity in 2024 and 23.7% of Papua New Guinea's.
  • Electricity demand in 2024 was 44.0 TWh in New Zealand and 4.73 TWh in Papua New Guinea.

Key Figures, 2024

Ember annual statistics
MeasureNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
Total generation44.0 TWh4.73 TWh
Electricity demand44.0 TWh4.73 TWh
Demand per person8.44 MWh0.45 MWh
Carbon intensity112 gCO2/kWh516 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions4.92 MtCO22.44 MtCO2
Low carbon share86.0%23.7%
Largest sourceHydro 53.3%Other fossil 57.1%

Generation Mix, 2024

Share of generation
SourceNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
Other fossil 1.5% 57.1%
Hydro 53.3% 21.1%
Other renewables 20.3% 2.1%
Gas 9.8% 19.2%
Wind 9.8% 0.0%
Coal 2.7% 0.0%
Bioenergy 1.8% 0.2%
Solar 0.8% 0.2%

Carbon Intensity, 2000 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, 2000 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea each year from 2000 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2024 it was 112 gCO2/kWh in New Zealand and 516 gCO2/kWh in Papua New Guinea. 0 150 300 450 600 200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea each year from 2000 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2024 it was 112 gCO2/kWh in New Zealand and 516 gCO2/kWh in Papua New Guinea.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, 2000 to 2025
YearNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
2000185 gCO2/kWh398 gCO2/kWh
2001230 gCO2/kWh449 gCO2/kWh
2002198 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2003231 gCO2/kWh474 gCO2/kWh
2004204 gCO2/kWh495 gCO2/kWh
2005254 gCO2/kWh459 gCO2/kWh
2006249 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
2007227 gCO2/kWh429 gCO2/kWh
2008247 gCO2/kWh434 gCO2/kWh
2009197 gCO2/kWh431 gCO2/kWh
2010179 gCO2/kWh440 gCO2/kWh
2011166 gCO2/kWh428 gCO2/kWh
2012198 gCO2/kWh432 gCO2/kWh
2013177 gCO2/kWh442 gCO2/kWh
2014149 gCO2/kWh454 gCO2/kWh
2015143 gCO2/kWh467 gCO2/kWh
2016115 gCO2/kWh478 gCO2/kWh
2017132 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
2018124 gCO2/kWh522 gCO2/kWh
2019133 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2020142 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
2021145 gCO2/kWh509 gCO2/kWh
2022103 gCO2/kWh532 gCO2/kWh
202387 gCO2/kWh516 gCO2/kWh
2024112 gCO2/kWh516 gCO2/kWh
202593 gCO2/kWhn/a

Demand per Person, 2000 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, 2000 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea each year from 2000 to 2025, in MWh. In 2024 it was 8.44 MWh in New Zealand and 0.45 MWh in Papua New Guinea. 0 3 6 9 12 200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea each year from 2000 to 2025, in MWh. In 2024 it was 8.44 MWh in New Zealand and 0.45 MWh in Papua New Guinea.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, 2000 to 2025
YearNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
200010.09 MWh0.39 MWh
200110.09 MWh0.47 MWh
200210.18 MWh0.48 MWh
200310.04 MWh0.53 MWh
200410.35 MWh0.56 MWh
200510.27 MWh0.55 MWh
200610.29 MWh0.50 MWh
200710.27 MWh0.48 MWh
200810.18 MWh0.48 MWh
20099.98 MWh0.46 MWh
201010.19 MWh0.46 MWh
201110.01 MWh0.46 MWh
20129.92 MWh0.46 MWh
20139.59 MWh0.48 MWh
20149.49 MWh0.50 MWh
20159.44 MWh0.52 MWh
20169.15 MWh0.53 MWh
20179.07 MWh0.47 MWh
20188.92 MWh0.46 MWh
20198.77 MWh0.45 MWh
20208.55 MWh0.42 MWh
20218.53 MWh0.45 MWh
20228.43 MWh0.45 MWh
20238.29 MWh0.46 MWh
20248.44 MWh0.45 MWh
20258.25 MWhn/a

New Zealand history · Papua New Guinea history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024.