U.S. power sector carbon index by state 2024| ��ƽ��

Power sector carbon intensity in the United States in 2024, by state (in pounds of CO₂ per megawatt hour)

Characteristic	Carbon index in lbs CO₂/MWh
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Release date

April 2025

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Region

United States

Survey time period

2024

Supplementary notes

*The U.S. power sector Carbon Index is the ratio between the direct emissions generated from all electricity generation sources from the U.S. electricity sector and the total net electricity generation.

Citation formats

West Virginia had the highest power sector carbon intensity amongst all U.S. states in 2024, at pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour of electricity produced (lbs CO₂/MWh). Ranking second that year was Kentucky, which generated lbs CO₂/MWh. In 2023, total power sector emissions in these two states were ** and ** MtCO₂, respectively.

What is carbon intensity within the power sector?

The metric carbon intensity refers to the volume of CO₂ released per unit of electricity generated. It is a measure of how carbon-efficient energy generation is, and can differ greatly depending on the energy source used. For example, the carbon intensities of fossil fuels – such as coal – are higher than renewable energy sources due to the combustion process that releases CO₂.

Carbon intensity of the U.S. power sector

The carbon intensity of the U.S. power sector has been on a mostly downward trend since the turn of the century, and in 2024 fell to roughly *** lbs CO₂/MWh. This represented a reduction of almost almost ** percent from 2005 levels. This decline is attributable to several factors, such as the transition from coal to gas and the increased power generation from renewables.