When you stream a video, send an email, or run an AI query, the carbon produced depends on one thing more than any other: where the electricity powering that activity comes from. A Google search in Sweden produces a fraction of the carbon that the same search produces in India. The difference is not small. It can be 10 times or more.
This is because every country generates electricity differently. Some rely heavily on wind, solar, and nuclear power. Others still burn coal and natural gas for most of their supply. The measure that captures this is called grid carbon intensity, expressed in grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (gCO2/kWh).
What does gCO2/kWh actually mean?
Think of it this way: every time your country generates one kilowatt-hour of electricity (roughly enough to run a laptop for a full working day), it releases a certain amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. The cleaner your energy sources, the lower that number.
A country running mostly on wind and nuclear might produce 60 grams of CO2 for every kWh. A country running mostly on coal might produce 700 grams or more for the same amount of energy. Same electricity, very different environmental cost.
The cleanest grids in the world
The Nordic countries and France consistently top the list for clean electricity:
- Sweden, Finland, and Luxembourg come in at roughly 60 gCO2/kWh. Sweden's grid runs primarily on hydro and nuclear power, making it one of the cleanest in the world.
- France sits at about 85 gCO2/kWh, thanks largely to its nuclear fleet which provides around 70% of the country's electricity.
- The UK has made remarkable progress, dropping to around 124 gCO2/kWh after years of investment in offshore wind.
- The EU average sits at roughly 213 gCO2/kWh, pulled down by clean performers like France and the Nordics.
The middle of the pack
- The Netherlands comes in at about 284 gCO2/kWh. Despite growing wind capacity, natural gas still plays a major role.
- Germany sits around 385 gCO2/kWh. While it leads Europe in installed solar and wind, its decision to phase out nuclear power has meant continued reliance on coal and gas for backup.
- The US averages about 384 gCO2/kWh, though this varies enormously by state. Oregon (mostly hydro) is far cleaner than West Virginia (mostly coal).
- The global average is roughly 473 gCO2/kWh. This is the benchmark. If your country is below this, your internet use is cleaner than most. If above, it is dirtier.
The highest-carbon grids
- China produces about 560 gCO2/kWh. Coal still generates over 60% of China's electricity, despite massive investment in solar.
- Australia comes in at roughly 500 gCO2/kWh, still heavily dependent on coal and gas.
- Poland and Estonia sit at 700+ gCO2/kWh, among the highest in Europe due to coal and oil shale dependency.
- India tops the list at approximately 708 gCO2/kWh. Coal dominates the grid, and rapid growth in electricity demand has outpaced the rollout of renewables.
Why this matters for your digital footprint
Every digital activity you do, from streaming to cloud storage to video calls, runs on electricity. If that electricity is clean, your digital carbon footprint shrinks automatically. If it is dirty, even small actions carry a larger cost.
This also means the same person doing the same things online can have a vastly different carbon footprint simply by moving to a different country, or by their country cleaning up its grid.
What you can do about it
The single most impactful thing you can do is switch to a sustainable energy provider that sources electricity from renewables. In many countries, you can choose your electricity supplier, and green energy plans are often competitively priced.
If switching is not an option, you can still make a difference by:
- Reducing your overall digital consumption (less streaming, fewer unnecessary files stored)
- Scheduling energy-heavy tasks during peak solar hours (typically midday)
- Supporting policies that push for grid decarbonisation in your country
Your electricity grid shapes the carbon cost of everything you do online. Knowing where your country stands is the first step to making smarter choices.