24/7 Carbon Free Energy

Carbon-free energy refers to generation sources that produce no carbon during energy creation. This includes, for example, generation assets such as solar, wind, and large-scale hydroelectric power plants. This definition does not imply that there are no byproducts or waste associated with the energy production process; simply that the energy produced and offsets associated with that generation are free of carbon dioxide emissions.

In the realm of carbon-free energy, a 24/7 carbon-free scenario means that every MWh of electricity consumed is matched with carbon-free electricity sources both in terms of time and geography. So if a company has multiple offices in different grid regions, 24/7 CFE would take into account all locations, across every hour of the day.

24/7 CFE metrics use granular interval data, meaning energy data that is in increments of an hour or less (hourly, 15min, or 5min are typical intervals). Data processed in accordance with the 24/7 methodology also leverages hourly carbon factors associated with a particular grid region; the data sources for which are market-recognized companies such as ElectricityMaps and WattTime.

This dashboard contains the following 24/7 CFE methodology metrics:

To learn more about 24/7 and why it matters, check out our blog post on the topic here.