Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa
South Africa: Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal was -1.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -1.9% for annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in 2025.
That represents a change of down 124.4% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa peaked at 18.5% in 1981 and was at its lowest, -8.9%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 39th out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | -1.3% | — |
| 1967 | 2.9% | -328.2% |
| 1968 | 4.7% | +61.9% |
| 1969 | 1.0% | -79.0% |
| 1970 | 3.3% | +235.8% |
| 1971 | 6.9% | +110.0% |
| 1972 | 0.7% | -89.8% |
| 1973 | 6.5% | +820.9% |
| 1974 | 4.8% | -27.1% |
| 1975 | 6.7% | +41.5% |
| 1976 | 5.0% | -25.8% |
| 1977 | 3.6% | -28.0% |
| 1978 | -2.9% | -180.0% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | -331.7% |
| 1980 | 8.0% | +20.8% |
| 1981 | 18.5% | +130.5% |
| 1982 | 9.6% | -48.1% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | -83.7% |
| 1984 | 7.8% | +394.9% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | -65.2% |
| 1986 | 1.4% | -48.4% |
| 1987 | 1.8% | +26.1% |
| 1988 | 8.2% | +367.1% |
| 1989 | -6.7% | -181.4% |
| 1990 | 3.6% | -153.6% |
| 1991 | -1.8% | -150.5% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -121.1% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +714.5% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | +17.1% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | -59.0% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +43.0% |
| 1998 | -3.0% | -236.2% |
| 1999 | 4.5% | -249.4% |
| 2000 | -0.5% | -112.1% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -165.9% |
| 2002 | -4.9% | -1463.6% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | -189.4% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | +33.5% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | -23.0% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | +49.3% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -55.1% |
| 2008 | 3.9% | +31.0% |
| 2009 | -6.1% | -255.2% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | -137.6% |
| 2011 | -4.8% | -308.7% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | -202.7% |
| 2013 | -0.7% | -113.4% |
| 2014 | -3.7% | +461.1% |
| 2015 | -2.4% | -33.8% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -214.1% |
| 2017 | -6.7% | -340.2% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | -191.4% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | +8.9% |
| 2020 | -8.9% | -233.3% |
| 2021 | -0.9% | -89.5% |
| 2022 | -5.2% | +457.0% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | -202.8% |
| 2024 | 7.9% | +48.7% |
| 2025 | -1.9% | -124.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.8% | -1.3% | 4.7% | 4 |
| 1970s | 4.1% | -2.9% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.3% | -6.7% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.5% | -3.0% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | -6.1% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | -6.7% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.6% | -8.9% | 7.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa?
- Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal in South Africa was -1.9% in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual percentage change in primary energy from coal recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 1981.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in primary energy from coal recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.9% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for annual percentage change in primary energy from coal?
- South Africa ranks 39th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual percentage change in primary energy from coal rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual percentage change in primary energy from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in total energy supply relative to the previous year.