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South Africa Energy Information

South Africa Key Figures

Population:
59.9 million
GDP growth rate:
2.04 %/year
Energy independence:
100%

Data of the last year available: 2022

Total consumption/GDP:*
76.8 (2005=100)
CO2 Emissions:
6.56 tCO2/capita
Rate of T&D power losses:
11.2%

* at purchasing power parity

View all macro and energy indicators in the South Africa energy report

South Africa Related Research

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Total Energy Consumption

Total energy consumption per capita peaked in 2008 at 3 toe per capita and then progressively decreased to 2.2 toe per capita in 2022 (over 3 times the average energy consumption per capita in the other Southern African countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia). Electricity consumption per capita peaked at 4 500 kWh in 2007 before decreasing to 3 400 kWh in 2022 (around 6 times the value of other Southern African countries).

Total energy consumption has been decreasing since 2017 (by 1.5%/year). It had previously been stable over 2010-2017.

Interactive Chart South Africa Total Energy Consumption

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View the detailed fondamentals of the market at country level (graphs, tables, analysis) in the South Africa energy report

Crude Oil Production

Total oil production has decreased by 3.3% per year since 2016 to reach 4.5 Mt in 2022. It mostly comes from synthetic fuels of the Secunda coal-to-liquid facility (Sasol, 150 kb/d), as conventional production of crude oil is marginal. Another plant, Mossel Bay GTL (PetroSA, 45 kb/d), is off since 2020 due to a lack of gaseous feedstock.

Interactive Chart South Africa Crude Oil Production

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Oil Products Consumption

Oil consumption decreased by 5% in 2022 after a 6% reduction in 2021 and a 12% drop in 2020; before that it remained roughly stable at around 27 Mt between 2011 and 2019.

Transport accounts for 62% of that consumption, followed by industry (including non-energy uses) with 24%, residential-services-agriculture (10%) and the hydrocarbon sector (4%).

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2022, %)

Interactive Chart South Africa Refined Oil Products Production

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Natural Gas Consumption

Gas consumption decreased by 3% in 2022 to 4.3 bcm, following a significant drop of 13% in 2021; before that, it was quite stable between 2015 and 2020. Previously, it rose with strong fluctuations, at the average pace of 8%/year between 2000 and 2015.

Gas is mainly used in industry (51%) and to produce fuels in the gas-to-liquids plant (48%).

Graph: NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION (bcm)

Graph: GAS CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2022, %)

Interactive Chart South Africa Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

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Additionally, for more detailed information on the LNG trade, you can request a sample of our EMEA LNG Trade Dataset

Coal Consumption

Coal consumption has dropped by 14% since 2019, reaching 170.5 Mt in 2022. This represents the lowest consumption since 2002. Between 2008 and 2019, coal consumption fluctuated around 190 Mt.

Power generation absorbed 62% of the coal consumed in 2022, followed by coal transformation (24%), industry (10%), and the residential and services sectors (4%).

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2022, %)

Interactive Chart South Africa Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

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View the detailed consumption trends at country level (graphs, tables, analysis) in the South Africa energy report

Power Consumption

Electricity consumption decreased by 3% to 203 TWh in 2022, after a slight increase of 3% in 2021 and a drop by 6% in 2020. It remained stable between 2005 and 2019, fluctuating between 204 and 220 TWh.

Industry is the main electricity consumer (48%), followed by the residential sector (22%) and services (18%).

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2022, %)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

The IRP2023 targets the addition of 8.2 GW of wind and solar by 2030 in relation to 2022, made up of 4.5 GW of wind and 3.7 GW of solar. Wind should account for 9% of installed capacity in 2030 and solar for 7%.

Interactive Chart South Africa Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

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CO2 Fuel Combustion/CO2 Emissions

In its updated NDC (2021), South Africa aims to limit GHG emissions to 398-510 MtCO2eq in 2025 and to 350-420 MtCO2eq in 2030 (aligned with 1.5 and 2 degrees of global warming, respectively). The upper end of the 2030 target has been reduced by 32% compared to the first NDC (2015). According to the 8th national inventory, GHG emissions reached 469 MtCO2eq in 2020 excluding LULUCF, of which 80% of CO2 (of which 60% from the energy industries and 16% from transport). They have decreased by 12.5% since a peak at 536 Mt in 2012.They now stand at almost the same level as in 2000.