Angola
AGOAngola has about as many people as Canada, and 40 times less electricity to share between them.
38 million people against 40 million, but 411 kWh per person a year against 16,259.
What this grid depends on
Three measures that say more about a country than how much power it makes. Open “what this means” on any of them if the term is new.
Cleaner than 8 in 10 grids worldwide.
What this means
How much planet-warming gas is released to make one unit of electricity. Two countries can generate exactly the same amount and one of them be ten times dirtier doing it. Lower is better.
Angola generates almost exactly what it uses, with next to nothing crossing its borders.
What this means
Electricity can be sold across a border like anything else, through high-voltage lines connecting one country's grid to the next. Buying it in means leaning on a neighbour to keep the lights on. Selling it means generating more than the country needs.
Also true of Angola
Angola has taken the carbon out of its electricity fast.
324 grams of CO2e a kilowatt-hour in 2014, 185 in 2024.
Angola has cleaned up its grid faster than most people realise.
Low-carbon electricity went from 53% to 74% in 10 years.
Angola’s neighbours
Democratic Republic of CongoThe Democratic Republic of Congo has about as many people as Japan, and 57 times less electricity to share between them.
ZambiaZambia's grid has been getting more carbon-heavy, not less.
Congothe Congo's grid has been getting dirtier, not cleaner.
NamibiaNamibia is second in the world for solar.
GabonGas overtook hydro on Gabon's grid in 2023.
Figures are for 2024, the most recent year reported for Angola. Generation shares are a percentage of electricity generated, not of energy used. How this is calculated.