Montana Electricity Emission Factor 2023

EPA eGRID2023 Rev2 · 2 eGRID subregions · Average

Montana's electricity grid has a CO₂e emission factor of 780.9 lb/MWh (0.3542 kg/kWh) - 1% dirtier than the US average. The grid is 55% carbon-free and 49% renewable. These are the official EPA eGRID2023 values used for GHG Protocol Scope 2 location-based emissions reporting.

780.9

lb CO₂e / MWh

0.3542

kg CO₂e / kWh

55%

Carbon-free

49%

Renewable

eGRID Subregions in Montana

Montana spans 2 eGRID subregions. Use the ZIP-level API to get the exact factor for each facility.

Subregion	Name	lb CO₂e/MWh	kg/kWh	Carbon-free	Rating
NWPP	WECC Northwest	635.267	0.2882	58.2%	Average
MROW	MRO West	926.552	0.4203	51.25%	Dirty

Generation Mix

Solar3.1%

Wind11.6%

Nuclear3.1%

Hydro38.7%

Natural Gas24.8%

Coal16.4%

Biomass1.0%

Geothermal0.7%

Generation mix shown for NWPP (primary subregion). See subregion pages for full breakdowns.

Electricity cost in Montana

Latest monthly state-level average rate (EIA Form 861, 2026-04):

Sector	$/kWh
Residential	$0.139
Commercial	$0.1266
Industrial	$0.0599
All sectors	$0.1124

State-level averages, not utility-specific tariffs. For exact pricing, check your utility's published rate schedule.

24-hour grid carbon profile

Average hourly CO₂e intensity across the last 7 days from NorthWestern Energy (MT's balancing authority). Red = dirtiest, green = cleanest. Data: EIA-930 (~24h lag).

Hours in local standard time. Swing: 1.09× between cleanest (18:00 local) and dirtiest (07:00 local).

Read full guide on hourly grid carbon intensity →

Derived metrics for Montana

Carbon cost of electricity: $482 per tonne CO₂e (residential rate ÷ grid intensity)
Annual per-capita CO₂e from electricity: 3,556 kg/yr (12.3k kWh × grid factor)
10,000 mi/yr EV emissions: 865 kg CO₂e (at 0.30 kWh/mi)
Same miles in gas car: ~4,000 kg CO₂e (400 g/mi baseline)
EV vs gas savings: 78% cleaner
Grid trend 2018-2023: -1.3% (cleaner)

kWh to CO₂ Calculator - Montana

Enter electricity consumption (kWh):

Using Montana average: 780.9 lb CO₂e/MWh = 0.3542 kg/kWh. Source: EPA eGRID2023.

How to Use Montana's Emission Factor for Scope 2 Reporting

For GHG Protocol Scope 2 location-based emissions reporting, multiply each facility's electricity consumption by the emission factor for its ZIP code's eGRID subregion. Facilities in different parts of Montana may be in different subregions - use the API to get the exact factor by ZIP code.

curl "https://emission-factors.com/api/lookup?zip=YOUR_ZIP"

Compare with Other States

Idaho

635 lb/MWh

Illinois

1030 lb/MWh

Iowa

1088 lb/MWh

Minnesota

927 lb/MWh

Missouri

990 lb/MWh

Nebraska

946 lb/MWh

Montana

781 lb/MWh

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Montana's electricity emission factor?

Montana's EPA eGRID2023 electricity emission factor is 780.9 lb CO₂e per MWh (0.3542 kg per kWh). This is 1% dirtier than the US national average.

How do I calculate Scope 2 emissions for a Montana facility?

Multiply the facility's annual kWh consumption by 0.3542 to get kg CO₂e. Divide by 1,000 for metric tonnes. For facilities spanning multiple Montana subregions, use the emission factors API to get the exact factor by ZIP code.

How clean is Montana's electricity grid?

Montana's grid is 55% carbon-free and 49% renewable. At 781 lb CO₂e/MWh, it is 1% dirtier than the US average of 770.9 lb/MWh.

Get exact emission factors by ZIP code

33,616 ZIP codes · All 27 eGRID subregions · CO₂e, NOx, SO₂, generation mix

Read the API docs · Scope 2 calculation guide