Carbon Intensity

Carbon intensity measures how much CO2 is emitted for each unit of electricity generated, usually in grams of CO2 per kilowatt hour. It depends on the generation mix: a grid running mostly on coal or gas has a high intensity, while one running mostly on hydro, nuclear, wind or solar has a low one. Ember's figures cover direct emissions from generation for a whole country over a year, not a single moment or a single power plant.