Ireland vs South Africa: Electricity generation from fossil fuels per person
Ireland
3,024 kilowatt-hours
in 2025
South Africa
3,080 kilowatt-hours
in 2025
Ireland rank
52nd
South Africa rank
51st
Electricity generation from fossil fuels per person over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 3,080 kilowatt-hours against 3,024 kilowatt-hours in Ireland, a difference of 56 kilowatt-hours.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 52nd and South Africa ranks 51st of 214 countries.
Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,631 kilowatt-hours | 3,919 kilowatt-hours | 711.54 kilowatt-hours | Ireland |
| 2000s | 5,813 kilowatt-hours | 4,555 kilowatt-hours | 1,258 kilowatt-hours | Ireland |
| 2010s | 4,498 kilowatt-hours | 4,231 kilowatt-hours | 267.02 kilowatt-hours | Ireland |
| 2020s | 3,536 kilowatt-hours | 3,296 kilowatt-hours | 239.99 kilowatt-hours | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher electricity generation from fossil fuels per person, Ireland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 3,080 kilowatt-hours against 3,024 kilowatt-hours in Ireland as of 2025.
- What is the difference in electricity generation from fossil fuels per person between Ireland and South Africa?
- 56 kilowatt-hours, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for electricity generation from fossil fuels per person?
- Ireland ranks 52nd and South Africa ranks 51st of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Electricity generation from fossil fuels per person. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured in kilowatt-hours per person.