Carbon intensity of energy in India
India: Carbon intensity of energy was 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
18th
of 204 countries
All-time high
298.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 2018
All-time low
244.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1969
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity of energy in India, 1965–2024
Source: Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.
Analysis
India recorded 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour for carbon intensity of energy in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity of energy in India peaked at 298.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2018 and was at its lowest, 244.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 1969.
India ranks 18th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 60 years of available data.
Carbon intensity of energy in India, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 264.11 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1966 | 265.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 259.61 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 266.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 244.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.1% |
| 1970 | 257.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 263.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 262.79 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 265.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 257.17 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 261.75 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 260.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 261.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 260.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 256.44 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 262.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 255.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.8% |
| 1982 | 262.64 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 268.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 258.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 267.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 267.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 266.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 264.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 267.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 266.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 269.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 271.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 273.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 274.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 270.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 279.54 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 275.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 266.55 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 283.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 276.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 278.04 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 276.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 275.64 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 272.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 270.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 279.08 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 277.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 278.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 279.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 278.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 279.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 287.82 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 289.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 291.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 293.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 295.23 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 294.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 298.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 294.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 290.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 294.65 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 297.09 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 297.58 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is above the median for South Asia, which is 256.76 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 260.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 244.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 266.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
| 1970s | 260.78 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 256.44 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 265.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 264.25 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 255.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 268.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 273.03 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 266.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 283.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 276.38 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 270.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 279.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 290.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 278.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 298.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 295.14 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 290.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 297.58 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 15 Suriname 303.34 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 16 Botswana 301.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 17 Maldives 297.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 19 Vietnam 294.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 20 Cuba 290.07 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 21 Laos 288.44 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for India
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 27.69 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 602,760 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 105,678 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 497,082 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 398.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 17,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 279,594 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 176,015 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 103,578 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 664.21 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity of energy in India?
- Carbon intensity of energy in India was 296.16 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024, according to Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest carbon intensity of energy recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 298.7 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2018.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity of energy recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 244.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1969.
- How does India rank for carbon intensity of energy?
- India ranks 18th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity of energy rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Global Carbon Budget (2025) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Carbon intensity of energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fossil carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of total energy supply, measured in grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour.