Average lifecycle CO₂ emissions intensity of electricity generation (gCO₂e per kWh)

This statistic estimates the average lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions intensity of a country’s electricity generation in grams of CO₂-equivalent per kilowatt-hour (gCO₂e/kWh). It combines each country’s electricity-generation mix (coal, gas, oil, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, biomass, etc.) with lifecycle emission factors (including upstream and supply-chain emissions) to produce an “average kWh” footprint for that country’s grid.

It is a useful, often-surprising comparator: two countries with similar electricity consumption can have radically different climate impacts depending on their generation mix. It also helps interpret electrification (EVs, heat pumps, industry) because the benefits depend strongly on how clean the grid is. Values here reflect a recent pre-2024 year where available and are intended for cross-country comparison rather than tracking month-to-month grid changes.