Carbon, explained by the system.
Carbon intensity is a system outcome — shaped by the mix, trade, and demand decisions already made.
Driven primarily by gas generation and net imports.
Current carbon intensity
Relative to recent norms: —
No scores, no judgement — just system context.
What's driving carbon right now
Current system narrative
Drivers appear only when the signal is strong.
Lower wind output and increased gas generation are raising system carbon intensity.
Carbon vs generation mix
How the mix shapes carbon
Stacked generation sits beneath a restrained carbon line.
Grid-nerd detail
- Marginal vs average intensity: — gCO₂/kWh.
- Top carbon contributor: —.
- Correlation (24h mix vs carbon): —.
Carbon vs imports / exports
Trade shifts carbon exposure
Net imports highlight when external supply shapes carbon.
Carbon intensity often rises during sustained import periods, especially when domestic renewables are lower.
Daily behaviour
Average 24h profile
A calm composite view, not a live trace.
Seasonal behaviour
Typical seasonal averages
Winter vs summer structure, smoothed by design.
History & extremes
Context from the record
Perspective on best, worst, and typical days.
Grid nerd mode
Carbon mechanics
Engineering detail for marginal, fuel factors, and assumptions.
Enable Grid-nerd mode to reveal marginal carbon and correlation detail.
Marginal vs average
Marginal intensity reflects the next MW dispatched.
Fuel factors
- Gas: — gCO₂/kWh
- Coal: — gCO₂/kWh
- Imports: — gCO₂/kWh
Imports assumptions
Imports use published average intensities, not connector-specific figures.
Correlations
- Carbon vs wind: —
- Carbon vs demand: —
- Carbon vs imports: —
Methodology & data trust
Why this view is stable
This page favors settled, interpretable data over minute-by-minute noise.
- Carbon, generation, trade, and weather align to the same settlement periods.
- Imports are treated as a separate carbon contributor using published assumptions.
- Daily temperature context is used only when it explains demand-driven shifts.
- Ultra-short rolling windows are avoided to prevent misleading flicker.
More detail lives in the data quality notes.