Carbon intensity of energy in United States
United States: Carbon intensity of energy was 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
132nd
of 204 countries
All-time high
244.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 1970
All-time low
191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour
in 2024
Years of data
60
1965–2024
Carbon intensity of energy in United States, 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
In 2024, carbon intensity of energy in United States stood at 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour. That is the lowest value across all 60 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, carbon intensity of energy in United States peaked at 244.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1970 and was at its lowest, 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, in 2024.
That places United States 132nd out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
Carbon intensity of energy in United States, year by year
| Year | grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 241.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | — |
| 1966 | 240.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 241.62 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 235.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 236.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 244.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 241.65 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 240.84 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 241 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 239.03 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 235.1 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 232.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 231.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 234.61 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 232.62 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 233.18 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 230.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 229.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 232.56 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.3% |
| 1984 | 227.21 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 227.43 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 225.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 226.4 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 225.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 223.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 230.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 228.14 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 228.57 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 228.68 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 227.67 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 226.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 226.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 228.02 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 228.38 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 226.65 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 229.41 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 229.19 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 228.11 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 229.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 228.88 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 229.32 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 228.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 227.32 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 225.59 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 220.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 220.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 218.25 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 215.49 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 215.45 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 215.49 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 211.15 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 207.24 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 205.43 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 204.5 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 201.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 195.9 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 199.13 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 197.34 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 194.23 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | -1.2% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour is above the median for high income countries, which is 184.8 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour, 1.0× the median. (69 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 239.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 235.98 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 241.95 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
| 1970s | 237.37 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 231.36 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 244.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 228.07 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 223.27 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 233.18 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 227.97 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 226.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 230.53 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 227.63 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 220.46 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 229.72 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 211.47 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 201.51 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 220.22 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 195.68 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 199.13 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 129 Somalia 194.2 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 130 Benin 193.13 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 131 Argentina 192.92 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 133 El Salvador 191.66 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 134 Sao Tome and Principe 191.11 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
- 135 Lithuania 190.94 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour compare
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is carbon intensity of energy in United States?
- Carbon intensity of energy in United States was 191.81 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 244.96 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 1970.
- What is the lowest carbon intensity of energy recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 191.81 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2024.
- How does United States rank for carbon intensity of energy?
- United States ranks 132nd out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is carbon intensity of energy rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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.