Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity
Saudi Arabia
691.95 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour
in 2024
South Africa
699.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
15th
South Africa rank
12th
Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 699.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour against 691.95 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 7.34 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour.
Across all 25 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 15th and South Africa ranks 12th of 210 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 696.71 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 807.6 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 110.89 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | South Africa |
| 2010s | 695.59 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 788.77 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 93.18 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | South Africa |
| 2020s | 698.72 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 733.09 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | 34.37 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 699.29 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour against 691.95 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 7.34 grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 15th and South Africa ranks 12th of 210 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Ember (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Lifecycle carbon intensity of electricity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Greenhouse gases emitted per unit of generated electricity, measured in grams of CO₂ equivalents per kilowatt-hour.