Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity
Saudi Arabia
11.88 gigawatts
in 2025
South Africa
10.65 gigawatts
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
20th
South Africa rank
22nd
Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 11.88 gigawatts against 10.65 gigawatts in South Africa, a difference of 1.23 gigawatts.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 16 shared years of data; in 2010 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 199 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.0242 gigawatts | 1.06 gigawatts | 1.04 gigawatts | South Africa |
| 2020s | 3.59 gigawatts | 6.45 gigawatts | 2.86 gigawatts | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- Saudi Arabia, at 11.88 gigawatts against 10.65 gigawatts in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 1.23 gigawatts, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 16 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 20th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Solar photovoltaic (on-grid) electricity installed capacity, measured in gigawatts.