As the national conversation around clean energy continues to intensify, full electrification of residential homes, appliances, and vehicles is frequently cited as a way for end users to cut emissions. However, this strategy fails to account for the carbon emissions that are produced in the generation and distribution of electricity. Measuring a fuel’s carbon intensity helps to capture emissions across the full life cycle of an energy carrier — and reveals the truth that conventional propane is often a cleaner residential energy choice than grid electricity. Carbon intensity is the total carbon emissions (or total carbon footprint) embodied in an energy carrier such as propane or electricity right from the source to the point of use. For example, propane’s carbon intensity would include the total carbon dioxide emissions from the production, transport, storage, and combustion of propane. Electricity’s carbon intensity includes the total carbon dioxide emissions from extracting resources (such as coal, natural gas, materials for solar panels and wind turbines, etc.), generation of electricity, transmission, and distribution of electricity, and end use of electricity. The units for carbon intensity are typically expressed in kg/mmBTU (million BTU) or grams/Megajoule.

Carbon Intensity in the Tri-state Region

Electricity’s carbon intensity includes the total carbon dioxide emissions from extracting resources (such as coal, natural gas, materials for solar panels and wind turbines, etc.), generation of electricity, transmission, and distribution of electricity, and end use of electricity. The units for carbon intensity are typically expressed in kg/mmBTU (million BTU) or grams/Megajoule.