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Carbon · Converter
Electricity CO₂ Calculator
Convert electricity use (kWh) into CO₂ emissions using your country's grid intensity. Grid CO₂ varies more than 30× across countries — this is the single biggest lever for most household calculations.
CO₂ emissions
1,330 kg
= 1.33 tonnes CO₂
Equivalent to
- Driving petrol car6,927 km
- Trees needed 1 yr63
- Short-haul return flights0.7
Same 3,500 kWh across countries
Grid CO₂ intensity is the single biggest variable in most personal-carbon calculations.
Norway
70 kg
Iceland
98 kg
Sweden
158 kg
France
280 kg
Switzerland
350 kg
Denmark
455 kg
Canada
455 kg
Finland
455 kg
Spain
595 kg
Belgium
700 kg
United Kingdom
725 kg
Italy
910 kg
Netherlands
1,155 kg
United States
1,295 kg
Germany
1,330 kg
Japan
1,645 kg
World average
1,663 kg
Australia
1,820 kg
China
1,890 kg
India
2,205 kg
Poland
2,310 kg
Formula
CO₂ (kg) = kWh × grid intensity (g/kWh) ÷ 1000
Country factors are 2023 annual averages including transmission losses. For live per-hour data see electricityMap or your national grid operator's real-time dashboard.
FAQ
How is 1 kWh converted to CO₂?
Multiply the electricity used (in kWh) by your grid's CO₂ intensity (in kg CO₂/kWh). Example: 3,500 kWh × 0.207 kg/kWh (UK) = 725 kg CO₂/year. The intensity depends entirely on the generation mix — hydro/nuclear grids are near zero, coal-heavy grids exceed 700 g/kWh.
Where do the country factors come from?
IEA Emissions Factors 2024, Ember global electricity review 2024, and national grid operator data (Statnett, National Grid ESO, RTE, EIA). Figures are 2023 annual averages including transmission losses. Hourly variance can be ±40% around the average — apps like electricityMap show live intensity.
Does a "green tariff" change my footprint?
Physically, no — the electrons follow the physics of the grid. Accounting-wise (RECs/GOs) yes, but the additionality of most retail green tariffs is contested. Real reductions come from consuming less, self-generating with solar, or shifting consumption into cleaner hours (typically midday or windy nights).
Should I use marginal or average CO₂?
For "how much CO₂ did I emit last year" use the average factor (what this tool defaults to). For "how much CO₂ would I avoid by turning off X right now" use the marginal factor — the intensity of the plant that would ramp down in response. Marginal is usually higher than average because low-carbon baseload rarely ramps.