Carbon intensity of energy in Kenya
Kenya: Carbon intensity of energy was 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
down 5.7%
World rank
76th
of 204 countries
All-time high
280.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1999
All-time low
143.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1985
Years of data
45
1980–2024
Carbon intensity of energy in Kenya, 1980–2024
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
Kenya recorded 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour for carbon intensity of energy in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity of energy in Kenya peaked at 280.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1999 and was at its lowest, 143.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 1985.
Kenya ranks 76th of 204 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Carbon intensity of energy in Kenya, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 226.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1981 | 242.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +7.2% |
| 1982 | 175.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -27.6% |
| 1983 | 182.37 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 169.87 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.9% |
| 1985 | 143.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -15.7% |
| 1986 | 150.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 207.85 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +38.1% |
| 1988 | 170.75 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -17.8% |
| 1989 | 171.32 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 190.68 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +11.3% |
| 1991 | 175.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.1% |
| 1992 | 182.48 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 204.28 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +11.9% |
| 1994 | 206.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 224 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +8.4% |
| 1996 | 265.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +18.5% |
| 1997 | 253.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 275.55 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 280.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 250.89 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -10.6% |
| 2001 | 231.42 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -7.8% |
| 2002 | 192.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -17.0% |
| 2003 | 179.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 184.73 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 187.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 191.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 195.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 199.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 215.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 196.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -8.7% |
| 2011 | 195.03 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 189.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 189.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 195.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 193.23 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 194.1 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 190.39 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 205.91 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 211.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 244.57 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +15.8% |
| 2021 | 236.65 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 235.21 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 237.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -5.7% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 224.31 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, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 227.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 184.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 143.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 242.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 225.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 175.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 280.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 202.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 179.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 250.89 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 196.12 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 189.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 211.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 235.71 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 224.31 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 244.57 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 73 Peru 224.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 74 Guinea-Bissau 224.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 75 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 224.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 77 Bosnia and Herzegovina 221.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 78 Niue 221.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 79 Saint Kitts and Nevis 221.75 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for Kenya
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 276.34 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 50,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,186 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,454 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 61.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,231 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,372 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 255.67 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.99 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity of energy in Kenya?
- Carbon intensity of energy in Kenya was 224.31 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 280.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1999.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity of energy recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 143.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1985.
- How does Kenya rank for carbon intensity of energy?
- Kenya ranks 76th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity of energy rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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 — 45 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.