Natalie Cowling
Research Expert South Africa
Energy in South Africa - statistics & facts
South Africa is among the largest three energy producers and suppliers on the African continent. As of 2019, the largest sector that used electricity in the country was the industry sector, with a share of 56 percent of the total consumption, followed by energy for residential purposes at 19 percent. This can be linked to the importance of energy for economic growth. Although the country has a highly developed network for electricity transmission, it has experienced high volumes of power outages to prevent overloading the electrical grid, which is having a negative impact on the economy.
Production and consumption
In the last decade, South Africa's energy production was dominated by coal. As of 2021, around 94 percent of the total primary energy generated, was via coal. This reliance on coal causes the country to be one of the highest carbon dioxide emitters worldwide. Between 2005 and 2020, it was evident that the country's primary power produced exceeded the primary energy consumed. Although coal had the highest share in the usage of primary energy, it was slightly lower in overall consumption in 2021 at 3.85 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). Petroleum and other liquids was another common source of energy, taking up just over 20 percent of the total power consumed. Throughout the same period, the most southern nation on the African continent generated a small share of nuclear energy, which was equal to the amount consumed.Renewable energy capacity
Seemingly, the country still has a long way ahead of it before it can successfully reduce its carbon fingerprint. In fact, it is projected that the renewable energy share will be around 19.3 of total energy consumption by 2029. By 2050, and if South Africa has fully transitioned to sustainable energy by then, it is predicted that solar PV plants will account for the highest energy source in the energy mix. In 2023, the total renewable energy capacity in South Africa was at its highest at approximately 10.6 thousand megawatts. Solar energy had the highest percentage of the total renewable energy capacity with about 58 percent.
