Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Renewable energy generation
Saudi Arabia
18.18 terawatt-hours
in 2025
South Africa
18.56 terawatt-hours
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
22nd
South Africa rank
20th
Renewable energy generation over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 18.56 terawatt-hours against 18.18 terawatt-hours in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.38 terawatt-hours.
Across all 55 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 22nd and South Africa ranks 20th of 79 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 2000s | 0.0001 terawatt-hours | 0.0163 terawatt-hours | 0.0161 terawatt-hours | South Africa |
| 2010s | 0.0646 terawatt-hours | 2.1 terawatt-hours | 2.03 terawatt-hours | South Africa |
| 2020s | 5.65 terawatt-hours | 11.98 terawatt-hours | 6.33 terawatt-hours | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher renewable energy generation, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 18.56 terawatt-hours against 18.18 terawatt-hours in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in renewable energy generation between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 0.38 terawatt-hours, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for renewable energy generation?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 22nd and South Africa ranks 20th of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Renewable energy generation. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Figures are based on gross generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.