Carbon intensity of electricity — all countries

Carbon intensity of electricity — South America

Carbon intensity of electricity in South America in 2025 — 165 g/kWh. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 2.1%.

2025 165 g/kWh −1.07% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 261 g/kWh2015
Period minimum 162 g/kWh2000

Trend over time

2000–2025 · grams CO₂ per kWh

Carbon intensity of electricity — South America, 2000–20251501752002252502752000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 162 g/kWh2001: 171 g/kWh2002: 164 g/kWh2003: 164 g/kWh2004: 176 g/kWh2005: 171 g/kWh2006: 171 g/kWh2007: 180 g/kWh2008: 194 g/kWh2009: 184 g/kWh2010: 205 g/kWh2011: 193 g/kWh2012: 222 g/kWh2013: 248 g/kWh2014: 260 g/kWh2015: 261 g/kWh2016: 244 g/kWh2017: 230 g/kWh2018: 218 g/kWh2019: 218 g/kWh2020: 205 g/kWh2021: 221 g/kWh2022: 181 g/kWh2023: 165 g/kWh2024: 167 g/kWh2025: 165 g/kWh
Change over the period: +3 (+2.06%) Average annual rate: 0.08 %
Carbon intensity of electricity — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year g/kWh Change Change, %
2025 165 −2 −1.07%
2024 167 +2 +1.07%
2023 165 −16 −9.01%
2022 181 −40 −17.9%
2021 221 +16 +7.97%
2020 205 −13 −6.01%
2019 218 −1 −0.27%
2018 218 −12 −5.07%
2017 230 −14 −5.77%
2016 244 −17 −6.46%
2015 261 +1 +0.39%
2014 260 +12 +4.93%
2013 248 +26 +11.64%
2012 222 +29 +14.79%
2011 193 −11 −5.45%
2010 205 +20 +10.89%
2009 184 −10 −5.15%
2008 194 +14 +7.97%
2007 180 +9 +5.45%
2006 171 −0 −0.29%
2005 171 −5 −2.71%
2004 176 +12 +7.43%
2003 164 −0 −0.23%
2002 164 −6 −3.71%
2001 171 +9 +5.44%
2000 162

About the indicator

Carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector per kilowatt-hour of generation. A single number into which the whole structure of generation folds: a coal plant gives about 820 grams per kilowatt-hour, a gas plant roughly 490, and nuclear, wind and solar single digits. The indicator therefore reads as a summary verdict on a power system and is especially useful for comparing countries with different generation mixes: one may have a lot of hydro and another nuclear, yet the result comes out close.

Important: Emissions from generating electricity are counted, without emissions from building the plants and extracting the fuel. Aggregates are weighted by generation and computed from 2000 onward.

Source: Yearly Electricity Data (Ember), license CC BY 4.0.