Frequently Asked Questions
How much carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced per kilowatt-hour when generating electricity with fossil fuels?
You can calculate the amount of CO2 produced per kWh for specific fuels and specific types of generators by multiplying the CO2 emissions factor for the fuel (in pounds of CO2 per million Btu) by the heat rate of a generator (in millions of Btu per kWh generated).
For example, here are the number of pounds of CO2 produced by a steam-electric generator for different fuels using that formula and the average heat rates for steam-electric generators in 2010:
| Fuel | Lbs of CO2/Million Btu | Heat Rate (10^6 Btu/kWh) | Lbs CO2/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | |||
| Bituminous | 205.573 | 0.010142 | 2.02 |
| Sub-bituminous | 212.700 | 0.010142 | 2.10 |
| Lignite | 215.400 | 0.010142 | 2.12 |
| Natural gas | 117.080 | 0.010416 | 1.12 |
| Distillate Oil (No. 2) | 161.386 | 0.010249 | 1.57 |
| Residual Oil (No. 6) | 173.906 | 0.010249 | 1.70 |
Last updated: February 22, 2012
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