Renewable energy consumption in South Africa

South Africa: Renewable energy consumption was 504,710 TJ in 2015. ▲ Rising

Latest (2015)
504,710 TJ
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
21st
of 233 countries
All-time high
504,710 TJ
in 2015
All-time low
326,005 TJ
in 1990
Years of data
26
1990–2015

Renewable energy consumption in South Africa, 1990–2015

0200.0k400.0k600.0k1990200220151990: 326.0k TJ1991: 334.9k TJ1992: 336.0k TJ1993: 340.4k TJ1994: 349.9k TJ1995: 355.4k TJ1996: 363.3k TJ1997: 370.4k TJ1998: 374.5k TJ1999: 381.3k TJ2000: 390.8k TJ2001: 401.8k TJ2002: 408.5k TJ2003: 408.8k TJ2004: 414.8k TJ2005: 421.6k TJ2006: 431.8k TJ2007: 432.0k TJ2008: 440.4k TJ2009: 447.8k TJ2010: 456.7k TJ2011: 463.7k TJ2012: 468.6k TJ2013: 476.5k TJ2014: 489.5k TJ2015: 504.7k TJ

Source: World Bank and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp). Measured in TJ.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 504,710 TJ for renewable energy consumption in 2015. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, renewable energy consumption in South Africa peaked at 504,710 TJ in 2015 and was at its lowest, 326,005 TJ, in 1990.

That places South Africa 21st out of 233 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Renewable energy consumption in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Renewable energy consumption (TJ) in South Africa, 1990 to 2015.
Year TJ Change
1990 326,005 TJ
1991 334,858 TJ +2.7%
1992 335,991 TJ +0.3%
1993 340,354 TJ +1.3%
1994 349,869 TJ +2.8%
1995 355,388 TJ +1.6%
1996 363,260 TJ +2.2%
1997 370,388 TJ +2.0%
1998 374,479 TJ +1.1%
1999 381,333 TJ +1.8%
2000 390,796 TJ +2.5%
2001 401,776 TJ +2.8%
2002 408,490 TJ +1.7%
2003 408,752 TJ +0.1%
2004 414,828 TJ +1.5%
2005 421,555 TJ +1.6%
2006 431,763 TJ +2.4%
2007 432,018 TJ +0.1%
2008 440,398 TJ +1.9%
2009 447,758 TJ +1.7%
2010 456,731 TJ +2.0%
2011 463,733 TJ +1.5%
2012 468,574 TJ +1.0%
2013 476,516 TJ +1.7%
2014 489,468 TJ +2.7%
2015 504,710 TJ +3.1%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 504,710 TJ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23,156 TJ, 21.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 504,710 TJ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 67,441 TJ, 7.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 353,192 TJ 326,005 TJ 381,333 TJ 10
2000s 419,813 TJ 390,796 TJ 447,758 TJ 10
2010s 476,622 TJ 456,731 TJ 504,710 TJ 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 18 Japan 664,987 TJ compare
  2. 19 Russia 522,370 TJ compare
  3. 20 Spain 513,541 TJ compare
  4. 22 Turkey 485,425 TJ compare
  5. 23 Kenya 475,942 TJ compare
  6. 24 Uganda 471,009 TJ compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is renewable energy consumption in South Africa?
Renewable energy consumption in South Africa was 504,710 TJ in 2015, according to World Bank and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp).
What is the highest renewable energy consumption recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 504,710 TJ in 2015.
What is the lowest renewable energy consumption recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 326,005 TJ in 1990.
How does South Africa rank for renewable energy consumption?
South Africa ranks 21st out of 233 countries with data for 2015.
Is renewable energy consumption rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Bank and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), published as part of Renewable energy consumption (TJ). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Renewable energy consumption in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp). Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/renewable-energy-consumption-tj/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Renewable energy consumption (TJ)
Unit
TJ
Source
World Bank and International Energy Agency (IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA, http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 6,084 data points, 1990–2015
Last refreshed

Renewable energy consumption (TJ): This indicator includes renewable energy consumption of all technologies: hydro, modern and traditional biomass, wind, solar, liquid biofuels, biogas, geothermal, marine and waste