New low for coal in South Africa's electricity mix
In 2018, around 90% of South Africa’s electricity was produced by burning coal in a fleet of ageing power stations, but the contribution of wind and solar to the electricity mix has been steadily increasing. In January 2025, renewables generated 16.3% of the country’s electricity, up from 4.9% in 2018, according to Ember data.
In January 2025, the proportion generated by coal dropped to 74%, a new low that prompted Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr Dion George to issue a celebratory media statement. In it he said he looks forward to seeing continued increases in solar and wind power, alongside a sustained decrease in coal reliance. Coal’s contribution to the electricity mix dips in the summer months between November and January and rises in the winter months, the data shows.
So it is likely to increase again as the temperature cools. Solar and wind are the two main renewable electricity sources in South Africa. Wind has hovered at around 5% of the electricity mix since late 2022, which is also when coal’s contribution dropped below 80% for the first time. Solar, which also tends to dip a little in the winter months and peak in summer, has risen from 4% of the mix in January 2022 to 11.2% in January 2025.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Weir is a global leader in mining technology. We recognise that our planet’s future depends on the transition to renewable energy, and that...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Tractor & Grader Supplies (TGS™): Your Trusted, Genuine Source for New Replacement Parts for Earthmoving, Construction and Mining Machinery
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
