In August 2022, Britain's electricity averaged 221 gCO₂/kWh, in the high band (220–299 g). That is 5% dirtier than July 2022 (210 g), and 21% dirtier than August 2021 (182 g). Gas made 49.7% of the electricity generated, wind 16.1%, nuclear 16.0% and biomass 6.4%; low-carbon sources together made 45.7%. The cleanest half hour was 75 g at 00:00 on Tuesday 2 August, and the dirtiest 322 g at 02:30 on Monday 1 August. Tuesday 2 August was both the cleanest day (119 g on average) and the windiest (49.8% wind).
Carbon intensity, day by day
Day by day, as a table
| Day | gCO₂/kWh | Low-carbon | Wind | Solar | Gas | Half hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 1 Aug | 250 | 41.3% | 14.9% | 6.8% | 53.2% | 48 |
| Tue 2 Aug | 119 | 71.7% | 49.8% | 3.8% | 25.7% | 48 |
| Wed 3 Aug | 166 | 59.9% | 32.4% | 5.4% | 37.0% | 48 |
| Thu 4 Aug | 233 | 43.0% | 13.3% | 6.8% | 56.1% | 48 |
| Fri 5 Aug | 215 | 47.1% | 15.8% | 7.5% | 51.7% | 48 |
| Sat 6 Aug | 172 | 53.6% | 17.4% | 9.8% | 39.9% | 48 |
| Sun 7 Aug | 151 | 61.4% | 23.1% | 10.3% | 33.6% | 48 |
| Mon 8 Aug | 234 | 42.9% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 54.7% | 48 |
| Tue 9 Aug | 232 | 42.5% | 10.6% | 7.9% | 54.4% | 48 |
| Wed 10 Aug | 229 | 43.1% | 11.9% | 8.0% | 54.3% | 48 |
| Thu 11 Aug | 243 | 39.9% | 7.5% | 8.3% | 55.3% | 48 |
| Fri 12 Aug | 236 | 39.0% | 8.2% | 7.7% | 56.3% | 48 |
| Sat 13 Aug | 229 | 41.5% | 9.0% | 8.6% | 53.9% | 48 |
| Sun 14 Aug | 216 | 43.0% | 5.7% | 8.5% | 48.7% | 48 |
| Mon 15 Aug | 249 | 36.8% | 6.8% | 4.0% | 56.8% | 48 |
| Tue 16 Aug | 239 | 41.7% | 14.1% | 3.1% | 52.5% | 48 |
| Wed 17 Aug | 228 | 45.0% | 17.9% | 3.9% | 52.3% | 48 |
| Thu 18 Aug | 210 | 47.8% | 23.0% | 2.0% | 49.6% | 48 |
| Fri 19 Aug | 187 | 56.7% | 27.4% | 6.2% | 41.5% | 48 |
| Sat 20 Aug | 150 | 63.3% | 36.9% | 6.2% | 35.0% | 48 |
| Sun 21 Aug | 186 | 50.9% | 20.0% | 6.9% | 42.1% | 48 |
| Mon 22 Aug | 229 | 43.8% | 15.4% | 3.7% | 50.2% | 48 |
| Tue 23 Aug | 245 | 40.6% | 12.4% | 4.7% | 52.2% | 48 |
| Wed 24 Aug | 236 | 44.9% | 16.7% | 4.3% | 48.9% | 48 |
| Thu 25 Aug | 250 | 40.5% | 12.4% | 4.1% | 51.9% | 48 |
| Fri 26 Aug | 265 | 36.1% | 4.1% | 6.0% | 57.2% | 48 |
| Sat 27 Aug | 268 | 34.8% | 4.6% | 7.2% | 60.7% | 48 |
| Sun 28 Aug | 261 | 35.2% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 57.5% | 48 |
| Mon 29 Aug | 246 | 41.7% | 14.3% | 5.4% | 55.2% | 48 |
| Tue 30 Aug | 239 | 43.9% | 17.7% | 5.3% | 50.9% | 48 |
| Wed 31 Aug | 228 | 44.3% | 17.5% | 4.5% | 52.6% | 48 |
What powered the grid
Each fuel's average share of the electricity generated in Great Britain in August 2022, with August 2021 beneath it for comparison. Imports count as one source, as NESO counts them.
Hours in each carbon band
- Low (70–139 g): 61 hours, 8%
- Moderate (140–219 g): 233 hours, 31%
- High (220–299 g): 437 hours, 59%
- Very high (300 g or more): 14 hours, 2%
Records in August 2022
- Cleanest half hour
- 75 g 00:00 on Tuesday 2 August
- Dirtiest half hour
- 322 g 02:30 on Monday 1 August
- Most wind
- 78.7% 00:30 on Tuesday 2 August
- Most solar
- 29.6% 13:30 on Sunday 7 August
- Most low-carbon
- 90.8% 01:00 on Tuesday 2 August
- Least gas
- 0.0% 00:30 on Tuesday 2 August
- Cleanest day
- 119 g Tuesday 2 August
- Dirtiest day
- 268 g Saturday 27 August
- Windiest day
- 49.8% wind Tuesday 2 August
- Sunniest day
- 10.3% solar Sunday 7 August
About these figures
GridMonkey records NESO's carbon intensity and generation mix for Great Britain every half hour: the actual figure where NESO has published one, otherwise its forecast. They are added up by UK calendar day and month. Percentages are shares of the electricity generated, imports included, so the fuels add up to 100%. Low-carbon means wind, solar, nuclear, biomass and hydro. The carbon bands are GridMonkey's: very low under 70 g, low 70–139 g, moderate 140–219 g, high 220–299 g and very high 300 g or more, per kWh. Northern Ireland has its own grid and isn't included.
To see the grid now, open GridMonkey. For the wind farms that ran hardest this week, see the wind farm league table.
Data: NESO Carbon Intensity API (carbonintensity.org.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0, recorded and summarised by GridMonkey. Figures as of 25 October 2026.