Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita was 0 terawatt-hours per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa, 1971–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in terawatt-hours per person.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa stood at 0 terawatt-hours per person. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.4% on the previous year and up 102.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0 terawatt-hours per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours per person, in 1971.
That places South Africa 84th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | — |
| 1972 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +623.6% |
| 1973 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +14.8% |
| 1974 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +11.7% |
| 1975 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +63.0% |
| 1977 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +0.9% |
| 1978 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -41.6% |
| 1980 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -15.9% |
| 1981 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +61.1% |
| 1982 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -40.6% |
| 1983 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -43.4% |
| 1984 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +628.1% |
| 1985 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +28.1% |
| 1986 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +70.0% |
| 1987 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -27.6% |
| 1988 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +70.2% |
| 1989 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -33.6% |
| 1991 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +14.9% |
| 1992 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -11.4% |
| 1993 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -27.7% |
| 1994 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +43.2% |
| 1995 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +11.8% |
| 1998 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -11.8% |
| 2000 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -12.6% |
| 2002 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +12.1% |
| 2003 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -12.1% |
| 2006 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +8.4% |
| 2008 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -13.2% |
| 2013 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +22.5% |
| 2017 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +12.7% |
| 2018 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +22.3% |
| 2022 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +6.3% |
| 2023 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +8.2% |
| 2024 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +3.5% |
| 2025 | 0 terawatt-hours per person | +10.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0 terawatt-hours per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0 terawatt-hours per person, 1.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0 terawatt-hours per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0 terawatt-hours per person, 8.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +628.1% | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person |
| 1972 | +623.6% | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 9 |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 0 terawatt-hours per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa?
- Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita in South Africa was 0 terawatt-hours per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours per person in 1971.
- How does South Africa rank for electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 84th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 102.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Electricity generation from low-carbon sources, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Electricity generation from low-carbon sources Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.