North Carolina Electricity Emission Factor 2023

EPA eGRID2023 Rev2 · 3 eGRID subregions · Average

North Carolina's electricity grid has a CO₂e emission factor of 781.9 lb/MWh (0.3547 kg/kWh) - 1% dirtier than the US average. The grid is 41% carbon-free and 9% renewable. These are the official EPA eGRID2023 values used for GHG Protocol Scope 2 location-based emissions reporting.

781.9

lb CO₂e / MWh

0.3547

kg CO₂e / kWh

41%

Carbon-free

Renewable

eGRID Subregions in North Carolina

North Carolina spans 3 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
SRVC	SERC Virginia/Carolina	596.326	0.2705	49.75%	Clean
SRTV	SERC Tennessee Valley	903.306	0.4097	41.9%	Dirty
SRSO	SERC South	846.007	0.3837	29.9%	Dirty

Generation Mix

Solar6.0%

Nuclear39.9%

Hydro1.4%

Natural Gas39.3%

Coal10.5%

Biomass2.1%

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

Electricity cost in North Carolina

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

Sector	$/kWh
Residential	$0.1625
Commercial	$0.1039
Industrial	$0.0773
All sectors	$0.1221

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 Duke Energy Carolinas (NC's balancing authority). Red = dirtiest, green = cleanest. Data: EIA-930 (~24h lag).

Hours in local standard time. Swing: 1.22× between cleanest (04:00 local) and dirtiest (20:00 local).

Read full guide on hourly grid carbon intensity →

Derived metrics for North Carolina

Carbon cost of electricity: $601 per tonne CO₂e (residential rate ÷ grid intensity)
Annual per-capita CO₂e from electricity: 3,305 kg/yr (12.2k kWh × grid factor)
10,000 mi/yr EV emissions: 812 kg CO₂e (at 0.30 kWh/mi)
Same miles in gas car: ~4,000 kg CO₂e (400 g/mi baseline)
EV vs gas savings: 80% cleaner
Grid trend 2018-2023: -20.2% (cleaner)

kWh to CO₂ Calculator - North Carolina

Enter electricity consumption (kWh):

Using North Carolina average: 781.9 lb CO₂e/MWh = 0.3547 kg/kWh. Source: EPA eGRID2023.

How to Use North Carolina'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 North Carolina 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

Alabama

875 lb/MWh

Georgia

782 lb/MWh

Kentucky

910 lb/MWh

Mississippi

842 lb/MWh

South Carolina

721 lb/MWh

Tennessee

903 lb/MWh

North Carolina

782 lb/MWh

Frequently Asked Questions

What is North Carolina's electricity emission factor?

North Carolina's EPA eGRID2023 electricity emission factor is 781.9 lb CO₂e per MWh (0.3547 kg per kWh). This is 1% dirtier than the US national average.

How do I calculate Scope 2 emissions for a North Carolina facility?

Multiply the facility's annual kWh consumption by 0.3547 to get kg CO₂e. Divide by 1,000 for metric tonnes. For facilities spanning multiple North Carolina subregions, use the emission factors API to get the exact factor by ZIP code.

How clean is North Carolina's electricity grid?

North Carolina's grid is 41% carbon-free and 9% renewable. At 782 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