Short answer
UK carbon intensity is lower when more electricity comes from wind, solar, nuclear, hydro or cleaner imports, and higher when gas or other fossil generation fills more of demand. Use the live number to decide whether now is a cleaner time to charge, run flexible appliances or schedule electricity-heavy work.
Current readings unavailable
This page does not include a verified current observation. The interactive dashboard requests the latest available source data and labels its observation period. If that request fails, current values remain unavailable; archived reports are not substituted.
Great Britain covers England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland operates in a separate electricity market.
Regional carbon
Check local carbon intensity
Carbon forecasts vary across Britain. Compare the 14 non-overlapping electricity distribution sub-regions below; country aggregates are shown separately.
Forecast interval unavailable.
Lowest-carbon sub-regions
- Loading regional data…
Higher-carbon sub-regions
- Loading regional data…
Country aggregate forecast
Loading country forecasts…
England, Scotland and Wales overlap the sub-regions, so they are not included in either ranking.
Regional figures are forecasts from the Carbon Intensity API, not billing-grade measurement. 0 of 14 comparable sub-regions available. Equal values are ordered by region ID.
UK carbon intensity right now
The live dashboard shows the latest available GB carbon-intensity estimate alongside demand, wind, solar, gas, nuclear, imports and renewable share. Start with the CO2/kWh value, then look at the mix to see what is pushing it up or down.
EnergyMix.info pairs the live estimate with source-freshness notes because carbon-intensity, generation and demand feeds can update on different schedules. That makes the page useful without pretending the number is more exact than the source data allows.
What is carbon intensity?
Carbon intensity is commonly expressed as grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour of electricity, often written as gCO2e/kWh. A lower number means each unit of electricity consumed is associated with less carbon.
It is an estimate for electricity consumption on the grid, not a physical label attached to each electron in your home. It is still useful because the grid mix changes a lot across the day.
What is a low carbon-intensity number?
There is no single universal threshold, but in practical UK grid terms the useful question is whether the current number is lower than nearby hours. Lower-carbon periods usually coincide with stronger wind, useful solar, steady nuclear output, lower gas generation or cleaner imports.
Higher-carbon periods often happen during still, dark or high-demand windows, especially early evening peaks when solar has faded and gas output rises.
Why carbon intensity changes today
The main drivers are wind output, solar output, electricity demand, gas generation, nuclear availability and interconnector flows. Weather can shift the picture quickly: a windy night can be much cleaner than a still winter evening.
Demand matters because the final units of electricity needed at busy times are often supplied by flexible fossil generation. That is why carbon intensity can rise even if some low-carbon sources are still running.
Regional carbon intensity
Carbon intensity can differ by region because generation, constraints and network flows are not identical everywhere. The regional module on this page uses the Carbon Intensity API to show local and postcode-based estimates where available.
For most decisions, the national GB number is enough. Regional data becomes more useful when you want local context, a postcode check or a better explanation of why your area differs from the headline grid figure.
How to use carbon intensity
Carbon intensity is most useful for flexible demand. If you can choose when to charge an EV, run a dishwasher, heat a water tank, charge a home battery or schedule business processes, lower-carbon windows can reduce emissions.
- Charge EVs during cleaner overnight or windy periods where practical.
- Shift appliances away from high-demand evening peaks when a cleaner nearby window is available.
- Use home batteries or smart tariffs alongside carbon-intensity signals rather than treating carbon and price as the same thing.
- For businesses, test carbon-aware scheduling for flexible workloads, batch jobs, charging and building services.
Data sources and limits
EnergyMix.info uses public grid and carbon-intensity data, including the Carbon Intensity API, Elexon BMRS/FUELINST and NESO-related sources. Each source has its own coverage, update cadence and revision behaviour.
Treat the page as a timely public explanation layer rather than billing-grade metering or an official system-operator publication. For source details, see the data and methodology pages.
FAQs
What is the carbon intensity of UK electricity now?
Use the live module on this page for the latest available GB carbon-intensity estimate in gCO2e/kWh, then compare it with wind, solar, gas, demand and imports to see why the number is moving.
Is this UK or Great Britain carbon intensity?
Most live electricity data here covers Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but operates in a separate electricity market.
Is low carbon intensity always cheaper?
Not always. Carbon intensity and price often overlap through demand and renewable output, but tariffs, constraints and market conditions can differ.
Can I use carbon intensity for EV charging?
Yes, if your charging time is flexible. Lower-carbon periods are often a better time to charge from an emissions perspective.
Why can imports affect carbon intensity?
Imported electricity reflects conditions in neighbouring systems, so its carbon impact depends on where it comes from and what is generating there.
Related pages
Weekly brief
Get the weekly UK electricity mix briefing
A short, source-backed brief on renewables, gas, carbon intensity, records and cleaner electricity windows.
Need this for a site or product?
EnergyMix.info is also testing lightweight publisher widgets and selected data access for partners.