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Carbon intensity of electricity — all countries

Carbon intensity of electricity — Southern Africa

Carbon intensity of electricity in Southern Africa in 2024 — 714 g/kWh. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 9.8%.

2024 714 g/kWh +0.62% vs 2023
World rank —
Period maximum 806 g/kWh2006
Period minimum 709 g/kWh2023

Trend over time

2000–2024 · grams CO₂ per kWh

Carbon intensity of electricity — Southern Africa, 2000–20247007257507758008252000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 792 g/kWh2001: 799 g/kWh2002: 795 g/kWh2003: 801 g/kWh2004: 800 g/kWh2005: 805 g/kWh2006: 806 g/kWh2007: 802 g/kWh2008: 802 g/kWh2009: 800 g/kWh2010: 800 g/kWh2011: 797 g/kWh2012: 799 g/kWh2013: 793 g/kWh2014: 785 g/kWh2015: 785 g/kWh2016: 774 g/kWh2017: 763 g/kWh2018: 769 g/kWh2019: 759 g/kWh2020: 756 g/kWh2021: 736 g/kWh2022: 724 g/kWh2023: 709 g/kWh2024: 714 g/kWh
Change over the period: −78 (−9.83%) Average annual rate: -0.43 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 714 g/kWh
World computed 472 g/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year g/kWh Change Change, %
2024 714 +4 +0.62%
2023 709 −14 −2%
2022 724 −12 −1.6%
2021 736 −20 −2.66%
2020 756 −3 −0.46%
2019 759 −10 −1.28%
2018 769 +6 +0.85%
2017 763 −11 −1.45%
2016 774 −11 −1.37%
2015 785 −0 −0.06%
2014 785 −8 −1%
2013 793 −7 −0.82%
2012 799 +3 +0.35%
2011 797 −3 −0.43%
2010 800 +0 +0.02%
2009 800 −2 −0.25%
2008 802 −0 −0.05%
2007 802 −3 −0.42%
2006 806 +1 +0.15%
2005 805 +4 +0.52%
2004 800 −0 −0.01%
2003 801 +6 +0.75%
2002 795 −4 −0.55%
2001 799 +7 +0.93%
2000 792 — —

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.

Other indicators for Southern Africa

Emissions Power sector CO2 emissions

How much carbon dioxide the electricity sector of a country emits in a year.

Southern Africa by year Electricity Fossil fuel share of electricity

What share of its electricity a country gets from coal, gas and oil together.

Southern Africa by year Electricity Clean electricity share

What share of its electricity a country gets from sources without emissions — renewables and nuclear.

Southern Africa by year Emissions Carbon intensity of the economy

How many kilograms of CO2 fall on each dollar of output produced.

Southern Africa by year
All indicators for Southern Africa