South Africa vs Sweden: Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies
South Africa
14 patents
in 2023
Sweden
6 patents
in 2022
South Africa rank
14th
Sweden rank
17th
Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies over time
- South Africa
- Sweden
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 14 patents against 6 patents in Sweden, a difference of 8 patents.
That makes South Africa's figure about 2.3 times Sweden's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 22 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 14th and Sweden ranks 17th of 64 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.22 patents | 4.56 patents | 5.67 patents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 53.4 patents | 8.4 patents | 45 patents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 33.33 patents | 7.33 patents | 26 patents | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies, South Africa or Sweden?
- South Africa, at 14 patents against 6 patents in Sweden as of 2023.
- What is the difference in annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies between South Africa and Sweden?
- 8 patents, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sweden?
- 22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2022.
- How do South Africa and Sweden rank globally for annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies?
- South Africa ranks 14th and Sweden ranks 17th of 64 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA - INSPIRE Platform (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual patents filed for renewable energy technologies. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Data only includes energy source technologies, and excludes technologies such as energy storage or transport. Figures in recent years are subject to a time lag; submitted patents may not yet be reflected in the data.