Primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa
South Africa: Primary energy from low-carbon energy was 66.15 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
66.15 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 17.5%
World rank
42nd
of 80 countries
All-time high
66.15 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0.021 terawatt-hours
in 1969
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 66.15 terawatt-hours for primary energy from low-carbon energy in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is up 17.5% on the previous year and up 46.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa peaked at 66.15 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.021 terawatt-hours, in 1969.
South Africa ranks 42nd of 80 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.037 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0.036 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 0.026 terawatt-hours | -27.8% |
| 1968 | 0.024 terawatt-hours | -7.7% |
| 1969 | 0.021 terawatt-hours | -12.5% |
| 1970 | 0.025 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 1971 | 0.112 terawatt-hours | +348.0% |
| 1972 | 0.834 terawatt-hours | +644.6% |
| 1973 | 0.985 terawatt-hours | +18.1% |
| 1974 | 1.13 terawatt-hours | +14.9% |
| 1975 | 1.12 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 1.88 terawatt-hours | +67.5% |
| 1977 | 1.94 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1978 | 1.91 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 1.14 terawatt-hours | -40.0% |
| 1980 | 0.992 terawatt-hours | -13.3% |
| 1981 | 1.65 terawatt-hours | +66.6% |
| 1982 | 1.02 terawatt-hours | -38.5% |
| 1983 | 0.595 terawatt-hours | -41.4% |
| 1984 | 12.45 terawatt-hours | +1993.1% |
| 1985 | 16.73 terawatt-hours | +34.3% |
| 1986 | 28.3 terawatt-hours | +69.1% |
| 1987 | 20.3 terawatt-hours | -28.2% |
| 1988 | 34.96 terawatt-hours | +72.2% |
| 1989 | 36.39 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 26.61 terawatt-hours | -26.9% |
| 1991 | 29.69 terawatt-hours | +11.6% |
| 1992 | 28.9 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 22.13 terawatt-hours | -23.4% |
| 1994 | 30.46 terawatt-hours | +37.6% |
| 1995 | 34.77 terawatt-hours | +14.2% |
| 1996 | 37.18 terawatt-hours | +6.9% |
| 1997 | 40.86 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 43.51 terawatt-hours | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 40.22 terawatt-hours | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 41.98 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 35.5 terawatt-hours | -15.4% |
| 2002 | 40.32 terawatt-hours | +13.6% |
| 2003 | 41 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 43.27 terawatt-hours | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 36.87 terawatt-hours | -14.8% |
| 2006 | 34.61 terawatt-hours | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 39.28 terawatt-hours | +13.5% |
| 2008 | 42.67 terawatt-hours | +8.6% |
| 2009 | 41.98 terawatt-hours | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 43.56 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 44 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 42.55 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 46.22 terawatt-hours | +8.6% |
| 2014 | 47.41 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 45.26 terawatt-hours | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 55.15 terawatt-hours | +21.8% |
| 2017 | 56.72 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 46.61 terawatt-hours | -17.8% |
| 2019 | 56.89 terawatt-hours | +22.1% |
| 2020 | 51.38 terawatt-hours | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 57.06 terawatt-hours | +11.1% |
| 2022 | 56.31 terawatt-hours | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 55.13 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 56.3 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 66.15 terawatt-hours | +17.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 66.15 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 64.98 terawatt-hours, 1.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy from low-carbon energy 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 | +1993.1% | 0.595 terawatt-hours | 12.45 terawatt-hours |
| 1972 | +644.6% | 0.112 terawatt-hours | 0.834 terawatt-hours |
| 1971 | +348.0% | 0.025 terawatt-hours | 0.112 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0288 terawatt-hours | 0.021 terawatt-hours | 0.037 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.11 terawatt-hours | 0.025 terawatt-hours | 1.94 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.34 terawatt-hours | 0.595 terawatt-hours | 36.39 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.43 terawatt-hours | 22.13 terawatt-hours | 43.51 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.75 terawatt-hours | 34.61 terawatt-hours | 43.27 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.44 terawatt-hours | 42.55 terawatt-hours | 56.89 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.05 terawatt-hours | 51.38 terawatt-hours | 66.15 terawatt-hours | 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 primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa?
- Primary energy from low-carbon energy in South Africa was 66.15 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy from low-carbon energy recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 66.15 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary energy from low-carbon energy recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.021 terawatt-hours in 1969.
- How does South Africa rank for primary energy from low-carbon energy?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy from low-carbon energy rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy from low-carbon energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.