The pie charts illustrate the amount of electricity generated by different energy sources in New Zealand over a 30-year period.
Overall, in both years, hydro was the primary source of electricity, while other sources and natural gas were the lowest contributors. However, by 2010, electricity generation from other sources increased significantly, although hydro still remained the dominant source. In contrast, natural gas production decreased over the period.
In 1980, hydro was the dominant source of electricity in New Zealand, registering a significant figure of 60%. Although this proportion experienced a downward trend, dropping to 45% by 2010, it still remained the top contributor overall. In stark contrast, the share of electricity generated from coal stood at a modest 25% in the initial year. However, this sector saw a steady growth over the 30-year period, finishing at 30% by the final year
Moving to the remaining energy categories, natural gas accounted for 10% of the total electricity production at the beginning of the period. Following this, the reliance on gas was halved, with its figure declining to a mere 5% in 2010. Conversely, electricity produced from other sources commenced the timeframe at its lowest point of only 5%. This category, however, experienced a dramatic surge, peaking at 20% by the end of the period, which made it the fastest-growing sector on the chart.