Electrification NZ

How far has New Zealand electrified?

Public data on electricity, transport and industrial heat. See projections for new generation and compare official 2026 election energy policies.

Renewable share of electricity and total energy use

MBIEData updated to 2024 calendar year
Whole energy system
Electricity is one part of the energy system. The total-final-energy measure also includes fuels used directly in transport, industry, homes and businesses.
Renewable share
Renewable electricity generation
85.5%
2024 annual, +4.5 percentage points since 1990
Renewable total final energy
29.8%
2024 annual, +1.9 percentage points since 1990
Analysis
Long-run change
The renewable share of total final energy rose 1.9 percentage points from 1990 to 2024
It increased from 27.9% to 29.8%. The small change helps explain why electrifying transport and industrial heat remains distinct from making electricity generation renewable.
Annual variability
Renewable electricity fell from 88.1% in 2023 to 85.5% in 2024
Lower hydro inflows increased non-renewable generation in 2024. The long-run electricity share is higher than in 1990, but the path is not a steady annual improvement.
Data table
Renewable share of electricity and total energy use data
Period or categoryElectricityTotal energy use
199081.0%27.9%
199178.3%27.5%
199273.8%25.6%
199378.1%27.3%
199483.0%28.0%
199584.7%28.6%
199680.1%27.8%
199771.4%26.3%
199876.9%27.5%
199971.0%26.8%
200072.9%26.7%
200165.1%25.0%
200270.9%27.3%
200367.4%26.8%
200473.6%28.9%
200565.8%27.6%
200666.1%27.6%
200766.9%27.7%
200865.6%26.9%
200972.9%28.6%
201074.3%29.4%
201177.2%30.0%
201273.1%28.4%
201375.6%27.9%
201480.3%28.6%
201581.2%29.1%
201685.1%29.9%
201782.2%28.1%
201884.3%28.4%
201982.7%27.6%
202081.1%28.2%
202182.0%28.7%
202287.0%30.9%
202388.1%29.7%
202485.5%29.8%
Source
Energy in New Zealand 2025Source updated 21 August 2025 by MBIE

Annual renewable shares for electricity generation and total final energy consumption from 1990 to 2024.

Electricity generation and total final energy consumption are different denominators. The final-energy measure includes direct renewable use plus electricity consumption allocated to renewables. Historical values follow MBIE's published indicator series; 2023 and 2024 endpoints use the latest Energy in New Zealand 2025 release and may be revised. The 2026 report is available, but this historical comparison retains the 2025 vintage pending reconciliation of differing final-energy renewable shares in the new overview and renewables chapters.

Next expected update: 20 August 2026

The two series use different denominators. Total final energy covers energy consumed by end users; it is not a subset of the electricity-generation percentage.

Open official sourceDownload Renewable-share CSVDataset details

Current position

2026 election

Compare New Zealand party policies on energy and electrification

Compare 2026 energy policies

Source coverage

Coverage dates and source update dates differ because publishers follow their own release schedules.

Whole energy system
Data updated to2024 calendar year
Source updated21 August 2025
Annual electricity generation
Data updated to2025 calendar year
Source updated20 August 2026
Electricity generation and demand
Data updated toMarch 2026 quarter
Source updated11 June 2026
Wholesale electricity prices
Data updated toAugust 2026
Source updated5 September 2026 (retrieved)
Current vehicle fleet
Data updated to30 June 2026
Source updatedJuly 2026
Process heat
Data updated to2021–2023 observations
Source updated12 August 2024
Grid connection outlook
Data updated to8 July 2026
Source updated8 July 2026