Carbon intensity is a measure of how much carbon is emitted per unit of activity. For example, the carbon intensity of electricity is the number of grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted to produce one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydro, and solar power, have a low carbon intensity, meaning they produce little or no CO2 emissions compared to electricity generated using fossil fuels.
Another example of carbon intensity is the amount of emissions produced per business customer. A growing business may have increasing overall (or “absolute”) emissions, but its carbon intensity for each customer may decrease if it is becoming more efficient or using more renewable energy.
