Argentina Energy Information

Total Energy Consumption

Per capita consumption in Argentina is the second highest in Latin America after Chile (1.8 toe/cap). Electricity demand per capita is around 2 800 kWh/cap (2019).

Total consumption has been declining since 2016 by 1.5%/year on average, reaching 82 Mtoe in 2019. Previously, it had increased by 1.6%/year from 2010 to 2016.

Interactive Chart Argentina Total Energy Consumption

Crude Oil Production

Oil production rose by 10% in 2019 to 30 Mt. Previously, it had been falling regularly from a peak level of 45 Mt in 1998 to 28 Mt in 2018. Argentina is the 4^th largest oil producer in South America after Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia.

Crude oil exports increased in 2019, as in 2018, to more than 3.5 Mt. Imports of oil products have declined by 28% per year on average since 2016, to around 2 Mt in 2019.

Interactive Chart Argentina Crude Oil Production

Oil Products Consumption

Oil product consumption declined by 5.6%/year from 2015 to 2019 to 26 Mt. It increased at the rapid pace of 3.6%/year between the crisis of 2002, which caused a significant reduction in consumption of oil products, and 2015.

Transport absorbs about 47% of that consumption.

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2019, %)

Interactive Chart Argentina Refined Oil Products Production

Natural Gas Consumption

Natural gas consumption declined by 1.8%/year from 2016 to 2019, reaching 50 bcm. It increased at the very rapid rate of 3.1%/year from 2002 to 2016. Argentina is the largest gas consumer in South America.

Electricity production absorbs almost 40% of that consumption, followed by the residential and tertiary sector, which consumes 22%, and the industrial sector.

Graph: NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION (bcm)

Graph: GAS CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2019, %)

Interactive Chart Argentina Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

Coal Consumption

Coal consumption is very low (1 Mt in 2019).

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2019, %)

Interactive Chart Argentina Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

Power Consumption

Electricity consumption has been declining since 2015 (-1.4%/year) to 125 TWh in 2019. It grew strongly between 2002 and 2015 (4.4%/year).

Industry is the largest electricity consumer (39%), ahead of the residential sector (35%) and services (25%). The services sector share has been relatively stable since 2000, while households have been gaining share from industry in that 15-year period.

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

The Renewable Energy Act of 2015 sets the goal of increasing the share of renewables (apart from large hydro) to 12% of electricity production in 2019 (6% achieved), 16% in 2021, 18% in 2023, and 20% in 2025. The law includes an obligation for large consumers (above 300 kW) to achieve these targets individually with fines on large electricity users that do not meet their target.

In 2016, a new law created a fund aimed at financing or buying interests in renewable power projects and enabled power purchase agreements between renewable producers and large consumers.

Interactive Chart Argentina Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

CO₂ Fuel Combustion/CO₂ Emissions

In its National Determined Contributions (NDC), the country announced its aim to not exceed net GHG emissions of 483 MtCO₂ by 2030, an 18% reduction compared to a BAU scenario. It is also willing to extend the reduction target to 37% provided it receives international financing and technological support.

From 2002 to 2016, CO₂ emissions from energy combustion have been rising rapidly, reaching a level twice as high as that for 1990. Since 2016, they have declined by 4%/year to reach about 170 MtCO₂ in 2019.

Graph: CO₂-ENERGY EMISSIONS (MtCO₂)