SUPPLY OF ENERGY



MAIN FINDINGS

• Australia's domestic energy production in 2009-10 was 17,282 petajoules(PJ), a decrease of 3% from 2008-09.
• Australia's energy imports increased 5% from 1,915 PJ in 2008-09 to 2,014 PJ in 2009-10.
• Imports equated to 51% of domestic energy consumption in 2009-10, the main energy products used were crude oil 1,056 PJ and diesel 335 PJ.
• Black coal production rose 8% from 9,066 PJ in 2008-09 to 9,827 PJ in 2009-10, and now accounts for over half (57%) of Australia's domestic energy production. Supply of natural gas rose 8% (2,005 PJ) and now accounts for nearly 12% of domestic energy production.
• Renewable energy production contributed 2% (286 PJ) of domestic supply in 2009-10.

The energy supply tables record details of the supply of energy products for 2008-09 and 2009-10. Net supply consists of energy products as they enter the economy, either by domestic extraction (eg mining production) or as imports.

IMPORTS

Australia's energy imports increased 5%, from 1,915 PJ to 2,014 PJ in 2009-10. The largest energy product imported was crude oil and refinery feedstock (52%), followed by diesel (17%), other refined fuels (12%), natural gas (11%), petrol (7%) and LPG (1%).

Imports (2,014 PJ) contributed 10% of total energy supply in 2009-10. However, imports equated to 51% of domestic energy consumption (3,964 PJ), a 2% increase from 2008-09.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

Australia's domestic energy production in 2009-10 was 17,282 PJ, a decrease of 3% from 2008-09. The majority of Australia's domestic energy production (79%) was exported in 2009-10. Further detail on exports is available within the energy use chapter.

Black coal continues to be the largest component of Australian energy production, accounting for over half (57%) of Australia's domestic energy supply in 2009-10. Black coal production rose 8%, mainly in response to strong overseas demand for coking coal. In contrast, the contribution from the second largest energy source, uranium, fell sharply (31%). The third largest energy source, natural gas, rose 8% to 2,005 PJ and now accounts for 12% of domestic energy production.

Energy production from renewable energy sources, bagasse (sugar cane residue) and hydro-electricity, fluctuate according to sugar production and water availability for hydro-electricity generators. Together, they contributed 133 PJ (1%) to domestic energy supply in 2009-10, a decrease of 7% from the previous year. Supply from "newer" renewables, namely wind, solar and biofuels, is increasing rapidly but from a very low base. Wind energy increased 21% in 2009-10 to 17 PJ. Solar energy (photovoltaic and solar hot water) also increased by 22% to 11 PJ. Biofuels contributed 21 PJ, an increase of 11%. Despite these increases, the total contribution of all renewables to domestic energy supply was almost unchanged at 286 PJ, or nearly 2%.

The Mining industry produced 84% of Australia's total energy supply in 2009-10, followed by imports (10%). Electricity, gas, water and waste services (4%) extract low amounts of energy products but supply high amounts of transformed energy (e.g electricity). The remaining 2% was produced from Manufacturing, Agriculture, forestry and fishing and households.

Outside the Mining industry, most energy supply is from industries and households producing energy for their own use; the Electricity supply industry extracts its own brown coal as well as hydro and wind energy for producing electricity; Manufacturing businesses use their own bagasse and organic waste for heat, electricity or biofuel production; and households extract solar energy for hot water and electricity, as well as self-extracting a portion of their own wood.