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Carbon intensity of electricity — all countries

Carbon intensity of electricity — South Africa

Carbon intensity of electricity in South Africa in 2025 — 699 g/kWh. Ranked 87 in the world out of 91. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 12.6%.

2025 699 g/kWh −2.61% vs 2024
World rank 87of 91
Period maximum 813 g/kWh2006
Period minimum 699 g/kWh2025

Trend over time

2000–2025 · grams CO₂ per kWh

Carbon intensity of electricity — South Africa, 2000–20256507007508008502000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 799 g/kWh2001: 806 g/kWh2002: 802 g/kWh2003: 808 g/kWh2004: 807 g/kWh2005: 813 g/kWh2006: 813 g/kWh2007: 810 g/kWh2008: 809 g/kWh2009: 808 g/kWh2010: 808 g/kWh2011: 804 g/kWh2012: 807 g/kWh2013: 800 g/kWh2014: 792 g/kWh2015: 791 g/kWh2016: 779 g/kWh2017: 769 g/kWh2018: 775 g/kWh2019: 764 g/kWh2020: 763 g/kWh2021: 742 g/kWh2022: 729 g/kWh2023: 714 g/kWh2024: 718 g/kWh2025: 699 g/kWh
Change over the period: −100 (−12.57%) Average annual rate: -0.54 %
Carbon intensity of electricity — South Africa, by year South Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year g/kWh Change Change, %
2025 699 −19 −2.61%
2024 718 +3 +0.46%
2023 714 −15 −2.01%
2022 729 −12 −1.68%
2021 742 −22 −2.84%
2020 763 −1 −0.15%
2019 764 −10 −1.35%
2018 775 +6 +0.75%
2017 769 −10 −1.35%
2016 779 −12 −1.46%
2015 791 −1 −0.08%
2014 792 −8 −1.01%
2013 800 −7 −0.91%
2012 807 +3 +0.43%
2011 804 −4 −0.5%
2010 808 −0 −0.03%
2009 808 −2 −0.19%
2008 809 −1 −0.08%
2007 810 −3 −0.42%
2006 813 +1 +0.1%
2005 813 +6 +0.71%
2004 807 −1 −0.09%
2003 808 +5 +0.67%
2002 802 −4 −0.5%
2001 806 +7 +0.85%
2000 799 — —

About the indicator

Carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector per kilowatt-hour of generation. A single number into which the whole structure of generation folds: a coal plant gives about 820 grams per kilowatt-hour, a gas plant roughly 490, and nuclear, wind and solar single digits. The indicator therefore reads as a summary verdict on a power system and is especially useful for comparing countries with different generation mixes: one may have a lot of hydro and another nuclear, yet the result comes out close.

Important: Emissions from generating electricity are counted, without emissions from building the plants and extracting the fuel. Aggregates are weighted by generation and computed from 2000 onward.

Source: Yearly Electricity Data (Ember), license CC BY 4.0.

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