News & Updates

  1. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q3 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 742 lb CO2 per MWh in the third quarter of 2023, which was down 15 percent from the same time frame in 2022.

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  2. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q2 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 715 lb CO2 per MWh in the second quarter of 2023, which was down 7 percent from the same time frame in 2022.

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  3. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q1 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2023 Q1 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 720 lb CO2 per MWh in the first quarter of 2023, which was down 9 percent from the same time frame in 2022.

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  4. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 783 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2022, which was up 1 percent from the same time frame in 2021.

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  5. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q3 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 862 lb CO2 per MWh in the third quarter of 2022, which was down 7 percent from the same time frame in 2021.

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  6. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q2 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 765 lb CO2 per MWh in the second quarter of 2022, which was down 5 percent from the same time frame in 2021.

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  7. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q1 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2022 Q1 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 794 lb CO2 per MWh in the first quarter of 2022, which was down 5 percent from the same time frame in 2021.

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  8. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 772 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2021, which was down 5 percent from the same time frame in 2020.

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  9. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q3 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 922 lb CO2 per MWh in the third quarter of 2021, which was up 2 percent from the same time frame in 2020.

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  10. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q2 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 807 lb CO2 per MWh in the second quarter of 2021, which was up 10 percent from the same time frame in 2020.

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  11. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q1 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2021 Q1 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 834 lb CO2 per MWh in the first quarter of 2021, which was up 10 percent from the same time frame in 2020.

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  12. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2020 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2020 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 813 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2020, which was down 4 percent from the same time frame in 2019.

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  13. Power Sector Carbon Index - 2020 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index - 2020 Q3 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 898 lb CO2 per MWh in the third quarter of 2020, which was down 5 percent from the same time frame in 2019.

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  14. Power Sector Carbon Index – 2019 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index – 2019 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 844 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2019, which was down 11 percent from the same time frame in 2018.

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  15. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2019 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2019 Q3 Update

    Comparing Q3 2019 to Q3 2018

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 935 lb CO2 per MWh in the third quarter of 2019, which was down 7 percent from the same time frame in 2018.

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  16. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2019 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2019 Q2 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 813 lb CO2 per MWh in the second quarter of 2019, which was down 9 percent from the same time frame in 2018.

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  17. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2018 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2018 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 943 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2018, which did not change compared to the same time frame in 2017.

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  18. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2018 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2018 Q2 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 890 lb CO2 per MWh in the second quarter of 2018, which was down 5 percent from the same time frame in 2017.

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  19. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in The New York Times on July 21, 2018, in an article titled "The Natural Gas Industry Has a Leak Problem".

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  20. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in The New York Times on June 13, 2018, in an article titled "Trump Wants to Bail Out Coal and Nuclear Power. Here’s Why That Will Be Hard".

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  21. New paper assessing evolution of U.S. power sector published

    New paper assessing evolution of U.S. power sector published

    Several Power Sector Carbon Index team members published a paper expanding the Index titled, "Assessing the evolution of power sector carbon intensity in the United States" in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

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  22. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Axios

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Axios

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in Axios on April 4, 2018, in an article titled "U.S. power sector carbon emissions reach lowest level since 1988".

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  23. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q4 Update

    The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index provides a comprehensive picture of the carbon intensity of electricity production in the during the previous 12 months and over an extended period to 2001. The CMU index also provides a summary of how much electricity generation is from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewables. According to the Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index, U.S. power plant emissions averaged 952 lb CO2 per MWh in the fourth quarter of 2017, which was down 4 percent from the same time frame in 2016.

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  24. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q3 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q3 Update

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was 1,035 lb CO2 per MWh in Q3 of 2017, a decrease of 5% when compared to Q3 of 2016. Continuing the trend seen in Q2 2017 and the first three quarters of 2016, more electricity was generated from natural gas than from coal. Electricity generation from renewables was 10% higher in the third quarter of 2017 when compared to the third quarter of 2016.

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  25. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in The New York Times

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in The New York Times, in an article titled "Energy Idea for Mars Yields a Clue for Powering Data Centers".

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  26. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q2 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q2 Update

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was 947 lb CO2 per MWh in Q2 of 2017, a decrease of 1% when compared to Q2 of 2016. While coal generated the largest share of electricity in Q4 of 2016 and Q1 of 2017, natural gas returned to the top spot in Q2 of 2017. Electricity generation from renewables was 23% higher in the second quarter of 2017 when compared to the second quarter of 2016, which contributed to the lower Power Sector Carbon Index value.

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  27. Co-Director Azevedo Discusses Importance of Index the During Climate Week

    Co-Director Azevedo Discusses Importance of Index the During Climate Week

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  28. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned on NPR's 90.5 WESA

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned on NPR's 90.5 WESA

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in Pittsburgh's NPR news station, 90.5 WESA, in an article titled "CMU Kicks Off New Quarterly Report To Track Carbon Emissions From Power Plants ".

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  29. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q1 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2017 Q1 Update

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was 955 lb CO2 per MWh in Q1 of 2017, an increase of less than 1% when compared to Q1 of 2016. Coal continued to contribute the largest share of electricity generation in the first quarter of 2017, after natural gas held that spot for the first three quarters of 2016. Electricity generation from renewables was higher in the first quarter of 2017 when compared to the first quarter of 2016, reducing some of the impact on the Power Sector Carbon Index from the increased coal electricity generation.

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  30. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Climate Central

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Climate Central

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in Climate Central.

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  31. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Next Pittsburgh

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in Next Pittsburgh

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in Next Pittsburgh.

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  32. Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in IEEE Spectrum

    Power Sector Carbon Index Mentioned in IEEE Spectrum

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was mentioned in IEEE Spectrum.

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  33. Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2016 Q4 Update

    Power Sector Carbon Index -- 2016 Q4 Update

    The Power Sector Carbon Index was 1,001 lb CO2 per MWh in Q4 of 2016, an increase of 1% when compared to Q4 of 2015. Coal returned as the electricity source contributing the largest share of electricity generation in Q4 of 2016, after natural gas held that spot in Q4 of 2015. Electricity generation from renewables and nuclear was higher in Q4 of 2016 when compared to Q4 of 2015, reducing some of the impact on the Power Sector Carbon Index from the increased electricity from coal.

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  34. The Launch of the Power Sector Carbon Index

    The Launch of the Power Sector Carbon Index

    To track the progress on reducing the emissions intensity of electricity, our interdisciplinary research team at Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation launched the Power Sector Carbon Index. The index uses publicly accessible data to create an easily understood, analytically transparent, and timely summary of the current trends in U.S. power sector CO2 emissions intensity and electricity generation.

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  35. Carnegie Mellon University to Launch Power Sector Carbon Index During Energy Week

    Carnegie Mellon University to Launch Power Sector Carbon Index During Energy Week

    Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) today announced the creation of a new index that will measure carbon dioxide emissions from the U.S. electrical power generation sector. The Carnegie Mellon Power Sector Carbon Index will track the environmental performance of U.S. power producers and compare current emissions to historical data collected nationwide for more than two decades. A quarterly press release will inform interested parties of power sector carbon emissions performance trends. In addition, CMU will provide an online resource for a wide variety of power sector emissions data and forecasts.

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