Transformation Sector · 2024 NEB
Conversion & Transformation
How South Africa transforms primary energy into usable electricity and liquid fuels — power stations, CHP plants, crude oil refineries, and Sasol's coal-to-liquids process.
671 PJ
Net Electricity Generated
787 PJ
Power Station Gross Output
137 PJ (15.7%)
T&D Losses
583 PJ
Refinery Liquid Output
Power Generation by Source
Input fuel consumed vs. electricity output — conversion efficiency shown for thermal plants
| Source | Input (PJ) | Input Fuel | Electricity Out (PJ) | Efficiency | Share of Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coal | 1970.21 | Bituminous Coal | 640.37 | 32.5% | 81.4% |
Nuclear | 28.07 | Nuclear | 28.07 | 100.0% | 3.6% |
Solar PV | 62.23 | Solar PV | 62.23 | primary equiv. | 7.9% |
Wind | 39.23 | Wind | 39.23 | primary equiv. | 5.0% |
Gas / OCGT | 39.27 | Diesel | 12.07 | 30.7% | 1.5% |
Biomass & Landfill | 2.93 | Biomass | 0.88 | 30.0% | 0.1% |
Hydro | 3.87 | Hydro | 3.87 | primary equiv. | 0.5% |
| Total Power Stations | — | 786.72 | 100% |
Electricity Balance
From gross generation to net electricity available for final consumption
Power Stations
+787
PJ
CHP Plants
+86
PJ
Imports / Exports
−3
PJ net
T&D Losses
−137
PJ
Net Electricity
671
PJ
Liquid Fuel Transformation
Crude oil refining and Sasol's Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) process
Crude Oil Refining
NATREF & Engen refineries
Input
313 PJ
crude oil
Gasoline204.7 PJ
Diesel157.4 PJ
LPG6.8 PJ
Kerosene54.0 PJ
Heavy Fuel Oil42.5 PJ
Total Output465.4 PJ
Coal to Liquids — Sasol CTL
Secunda synfuels complex
Input
221 PJ
bituminous coal
Diesel / Synfuels Output117.6 PJ
Conversion Efficiency53.3%
Sasol's CTL process converts coal to synthetic diesel and chemicals. The ~47% conversion loss reflects the thermodynamic cost of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
Full Breakdown
All values in PJ · Negative = energy consumed in transformation · Positive = output
| Row | Total PJ | Bituminous Coal | Coking Coal | Anthracite Coal | Coke | Biomass | Wood | Charcoal | Crude Oil | Gasoline | Diesel | LPG | Kerosene | Aviation Gasoline | Heavy Fuel Oil | Other Liquid Fuels | Natural Gas | Hydro | Nuclear | Solar PV | Wind | Other RE | Electricity | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power — Coal | — | -1970.21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 640.37 | — |
| Power — Nuclear | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -28.07 | — | — | — | 28.07 | — |
| Power — Solar PV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -62.23 | — | — | 62.23 | — |
| Power — Wind | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -39.23 | — | 39.23 | — |
| Power — OCGT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -39.27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12.07 | — |
| Power — Biomass & Landfill Gas | — | — | — | — | — | -2.93 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.88 | — |
| Power — Hydro (ECSP & Run-of-River) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -3.87 | — | — | — | — | 3.87 | — |
| CHP — Chemicals | — | -28.14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -7.32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 57.80 | 2.33 |
| CHP — Pulp & Paper | — | -50.00 | — | — | — | — | -61.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -8.80 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16.66 | — |
| CHP — Sugar | — | -5.00 | — | — | — | -45.00 | — | -1.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11.45 | 1.48 |
| Electricity Imports | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35.78 | — |
| Electricity Exports | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -38.53 | — |
| Electricity T&D Losses | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -136.58 | — |
| TOTAL ELECTRICITY GENERATED | 671.49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 671.49 | — |
| Crude Oil Refining | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | -313.30 | 204.70 | 157.40 | 6.80 | 54.00 | — | 42.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coal to Liquids (Sasol CTL) | — | -220.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 117.60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TOTAL REFINERIES | -661.10 | -749.40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | -313.30 | 204.70 | 157.40 | 6.80 | 54.00 | — | 42.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Data Notes
- • All values in Petajoules (PJ). Negative = energy input consumed. Positive = energy output produced.
- • Solar PV, wind, hydro, and nuclear are reported as primary equivalent — efficiency shown as "primary equiv." rather than a thermal conversion rate.
- • CHP = Combined Heat & Power. These plants simultaneously produce electricity and useful heat for industrial processes.
- • T&D = Transmission & Distribution losses in the electricity grid (15.7% of gross generation).
- • Source: Energy Systems Research Group, University of Cape Town · 23 March 2026.
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