Britain is running relatively clean, with renewables contributing about 34.4% and imports are helping cover the gap.
Last refreshed 22 Jul 2026, 04:30. This page currently covers Great Britain, not Northern Ireland.
Carbon intensity now
146 gCO2/kWh
moderate
Renewable share
34.4%
Based on Carbon Intensity national generation mix
National demand
20,549 MW
Transmission demand
21,830 MW
Domestic generation
16,926 MW
Net imports
4,757 MW
Across interconnectors
Make It Local
Real-time Elexon fuel data grouped into consumer-friendly buckets.
Net imports: 4,757 MW
Gas
6,057 MW
27.9%
Wind
4,253 MW
19.6%
Nuclear
3,466 MW
16%
Biomass
2,490 MW
11.5%
Hydro
276 MW
1.3%
Other
249 MW
1.1%
Pumped Storage
135 MW
0.6%
Coal
0 MW
0%
Oil
0 MW
0%
Interconnectors
4,757 MW
21.9%
Forecast periods when the grid is expected to be cleaner than it is now.
11:30 to 17:30
103 gCO2/kWh
43 gCO2/kWh cleaner than now
4:30 to 7:00
111 gCO2/kWh
35 gCO2/kWh cleaner than now
Next embedded forecast from NESO
Wind forecast
598 MW
Solar forecast
0 MW
Recent total visible supply from Elexon half-hourly generation data.
North Scotland
very low
0 gCO2/kWh
South Scotland
very low
1 gCO2/kWh
Scotland
very low
1 gCO2/kWh
North East England
very low
14 gCO2/kWh
South West England
very high
377 gCO2/kWh
South Wales
very high
367 gCO2/kWh
East England
high
207 gCO2/kWh
Wales
high
204 gCO2/kWh
Grid History v2
Rio now stores long-range grid history, so this section can compare the latest day with the archive, surface cleaner and dirtier windows, and start checking forecast promises against reality.
The archive contract is in place, but this scope still needs more settled history before Rio can show long-range charts, percentile rankings, and forecast-vs-actual checks with enough confidence.
Carbon Intensity API
National carbon intensity, 24-hour forecast windows, national generation mix, and regional comparisons.
Updated through 22 Jul 2026, 04:30
Elexon Insights
Real-time fuel mix plus national and transmission demand.
Updated through 22 Jul 2026, 04:30
NESO
Embedded wind and solar forecast context for the next settlement period.
Updated through 22 Jul 2026, 04:25
Contains BMRS data © Elexon Limited copyright and database right 2026.
Make It Local
This turns the dashboard from a national snapshot into something you can actually use for your home, your area, and your timing decisions.
Regional View
National Summary
The national dashboard tells the big story. The local view shows whether your area is cleaner or dirtier than the GB average, which region you sit in, and the better timing windows for flexible usage.
Current GB carbon
146 gCO2/kWh
moderate
Regional spread
377 gCO2/kWh
Gap between the cleanest and most carbon-intensive regions
Local Solar Context
Free PVGIS modelling for a standard 4.2 kW south-facing home system, layered onto the live grid view.
What you’ll get
Indicative output
Annual, monthly, and seasonal production for a standard home-scale system
Why it matters
Solar + grid fit
See how local solar potential interacts with cleaner windows and your region’s grid mix
What Changed
A meaningfully cleaner window is coming up
The best forecast window in the next 24 hours is about 43 gCO2/kWh cleaner than now, which is the clearest opportunity for flexible usage.
Regional conditions are far apart right now
North Scotland is running about 377 gCO2/kWh cleaner than South West England, which shows how uneven power flows can be across Britain.
Visible supply is trending down
Compared with the start of the recent half-hourly window, visible supply has moved by about 2477 MW.
Best Time For Me
Choose the type of home action you care about. Recommendations are based on forecast carbon intensity for the next 24 hours.
EV charging: best window
Good for a longer charging session if you can wait for a cleaner overnight window. Around 41.3 gCO2/kWh cleaner than now.
14:30 to 16:30
104.8 gCO2/kWh
EV charging: backup window
Good for a longer charging session if you can wait for a cleaner overnight window. Around 32.5 gCO2/kWh cleaner than now.
5:00 to 7:00
113.5 gCO2/kWh
Want roof-specific solar potential as well?
Use the same postcode in Rio’s quote flow to move from a grid view into property-level solar and battery potential.