How do I calculate emissions from electricity use?

Multiply the electricity used, in MWh, by the grid's emissions intensity, in gCO2e/kWh, and divide by 1,000 to get tonnes of CO2e. Germany's grid emitted 334 gCO2e/kWh in 2025, so 1,000 MWh gives 334 tCO2e. Use the intensity of the country and the year in which the electricity was used. The calculator accepts kWh, MWh or GWh and converts for you. The intensities are Ember Yearly Electricity Data (CC BY 4.0).

Is this a Scope 2 emissions factor?

No. The intensities are the lifecycle emissions of total generation as Ember publishes them, and this tool is not a Scope 2 calculator. A Scope 2 location-based figure uses the grid factor that your reporting framework names, which can differ in basis, for example by counting direct combustion emissions only. Use this tool for estimates, comparisons between countries and orders of magnitude, and check the framework's own factor before you report. On this lifecycle basis France's grid was at 41 gCO2e/kWh in 2025.

Why do grid emissions intensities change from year to year?

A grid's intensity follows what generates its electricity. Hydro, wind and solar output moves with the weather, gas and coal plants run when demand and prices call for them, and plants are built and retired. Germany's intensity went from 395 gCO2e/kWh in 2021 to 334 gCO2e/kWh in 2025. Demand, imports and exports, and revisions to the published data also move it, which is why the calculator lets you choose the year.

How are avoided emissions calculated?

Avoided emissions are the energy generated times the difference between the grid's intensity and the generator's own: MWh × (grid - source) / 1,000. For 1,000 MWh of solar generation in Germany in 2025, that is 286 tCO2e. The source intensities are the median across countries of Ember's 2024 lifecycle values: solar 48, wind 10, hydro 24, nuclear 5 and gas 582 gCO2e/kWh. The method assumes the generator displaces average grid output; the plants it really displaces may emit more or less.

Grid emissions calculator

Emissions from electricity are the energy used times the grid's emissions intensity: tCO2e = MWh × gCO2e/kWh / 1,000. Pick a country and a year to apply Ember's lifecycle intensity of that grid.

Data as of October 14, 2026

Electricity

MWh

Energy unit

kWhMWhGWh

Country

Year

Advanced

Avoided emissions: generator source

Compare with another country

Emissions

334tCO2e

Germany, 2025: 334 gCO2e/kWh10th to 90th percentile across countries, 2025: 73 - 656 gCO2e/kWh

The intensities are on a lifecycle basis. A Scope 2 location-based figure uses the factor your reporting framework names, so this result is not a Scope 2 figure.

Method and data

Formula

tCO2e = E (MWh) × I (gCO2e/kWh) / 1,000
E (MWh) = E (kWh) / 1,000 = E (GWh) × 1,000
Avoided tCO2e = E (MWh) × (I_grid - I_source) / 1,000

Worked example

Emissions from 1,000 MWh of electricity, latest year of each grid

Country	Year	Intensity (gCO2e/kWh)	Emissions (tCO2e)
Norway	2025	28	28
France	2025	41	41
Germany	2025	334	334
China	2025	528	528
India	2025	671	671

Grid emissions intensity by country, last 5 years, Ember: the 30 countries with the largest generating capacity (gCO2e/kWh)

Country	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
China	602	590	586	559	528
United States	424	410	393	384	384
India	716	707	714	707	671
Japan	515	520	493	484	477
Germany	395	420	364	340	334
Brazil	168	103	96	106	110
Russia	427	436	443	446	450
France	60	79	53	40	41
Canada	165	161	174	185	191
South Korea	460	438	427	416	417
Italy	339	378	323	281	284
Spain	194	217	170	146	153
Türkiye	502	489	495	471	476
Australia	606	578	557	554	525
United Kingdom	267	255	236	216	218
Indonesia	697	702	710	710	705
Iran	660	655	641	649	658
Mexico	456	464	489	483	474
Vietnam	478	418	475	487	464
Saudi Arabia	702	700	697	692	-
Poland	756	733	651	608	591
South Africa	742	729	714	718	699
Egypt	568	570	571	575	563
Taiwan	652	640	645	636	634
Thailand	567	561	550	555	546
Netherlands	352	326	268	251	254
United Arab Emirates	605	559	484	468	-
Sweden	42	41	38	35	35
Pakistan	453	401	365	334	308
Argentina	407	393	351	345	342

Ranked by installed generating capacity. A dash means no data for that year. Emissions intensity of total generation by country, lifecycle basis, as Ember publishes it; the latest 5 years per country; negative values dropped. Source intensities are the median across countries of Ember's 2024 values.

Assumptions

Intensity is the emissions intensity of total generation in the country and year, in gCO2e per kWh, on a lifecycle basis: it counts the emissions of building and fuelling the plants as well as those of burning fuel.
A megawatt hour is 1,000 kWh and a tonne is 1,000,000 g, so MWh × gCO2e/kWh / 1,000 gives tonnes of CO2e.
The figure is a national average of the electricity generated in the country. It does not adjust for transmission losses or for electricity imported and exported, and it says nothing about a particular supplier or contract.
Avoided emissions use the median intensity of each source across countries in 2024, from Ember. They are typical lifecycle values, not figures for one plant, and they assume the generator displaces average grid output.
A Scope 2 location-based figure uses the factor the reporting framework names. This is not a Scope 2 calculator.

Ember Yearly Electricity Data · Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Data as of October 14, 2026

Definition: Grid Emissions Factor

Definition: Carbon Intensity Contract

Tera Intelligence maps the power plants and grids behind these national intensities, so an emissions figure can be read against the assets that produce it. Explore the map

Questions

How do I calculate emissions from electricity use?: Multiply the electricity used, in MWh, by the grid's emissions intensity, in gCO2e/kWh, and divide by 1,000 to get tonnes of CO2e. Germany's grid emitted 334 gCO2e/kWh in 2025, so 1,000 MWh gives 334 tCO2e. Use the intensity of the country and the year in which the electricity was used. The calculator accepts kWh, MWh or GWh and converts for you. The intensities are Ember Yearly Electricity Data (CC BY 4.0).
Is this a Scope 2 emissions factor?: No. The intensities are the lifecycle emissions of total generation as Ember publishes them, and this tool is not a Scope 2 calculator. A Scope 2 location-based figure uses the grid factor that your reporting framework names, which can differ in basis, for example by counting direct combustion emissions only. Use this tool for estimates, comparisons between countries and orders of magnitude, and check the framework's own factor before you report. On this lifecycle basis France's grid was at 41 gCO2e/kWh in 2025.
Why do grid emissions intensities change from year to year?: A grid's intensity follows what generates its electricity. Hydro, wind and solar output moves with the weather, gas and coal plants run when demand and prices call for them, and plants are built and retired. Germany's intensity went from 395 gCO2e/kWh in 2021 to 334 gCO2e/kWh in 2025. Demand, imports and exports, and revisions to the published data also move it, which is why the calculator lets you choose the year.
How are avoided emissions calculated?: Avoided emissions are the energy generated times the difference between the grid's intensity and the generator's own: MWh × (grid - source) / 1,000. For 1,000 MWh of solar generation in Germany in 2025, that is 286 tCO2e. The source intensities are the median across countries of Ember's 2024 lifecycle values: solar 48, wind 10, hydro 24, nuclear 5 and gas 582 gCO2e/kWh. The method assumes the generator displaces average grid output; the plants it really displaces may emit more or less.