Carbon Intensity Data for Southwest Area
New Mexico and Texas
Feedback is welcomed to continue improving the Grid Carbon Intensity website.
Historical Data
See Useful Definitions at the bottom of the page.
The graph below shows the carbon intensity of the electricity provided by Xcel Energy’s grid over the past 13 months. Displayed are monthly data for “grid” provided electricity, Renewable Energy, Carbon Free Energy, and carbon intensity across Xcel Energy’s service territory. This graph is updated monthly.
Compare your operations to energy and carbon intensity provided by the grid to determine the carbon impact of your operations and to identify potential changes to accomplish your carbon reduction goals.
Click HERE to download detailed hourly data for the last 12 months in a spreadsheet that includes “grid” provided electricity (MWh), Renewable Energy (MWh), Carbon Free Energy (MWh), and carbon intensity (lbs/MWh). This information is updated weekly.
Note: Information provided is the best information available at the time it is produced. Due to the duration of the energy settlement process, the historical data is subject to change, although any change is usually minor. Xcel Energy reserves the right to update this information at any time with or without notice.
Xcel Energy information suitable for annual reporting can be obtained here.
Certified Renewable Percentage (CRP)
Xcel Energy also provides an annual Certified Renewable Percentage (CRP) that includes a certificate of renewable energy provided by the grid for the previous year. The CRP also provides a Renewable Energy Calculator that allows you to add renewable energy from other Xcel Energy non-grid renewable energy programs or other renewable energy resources to determine your total renewable energy percentage. The CRP for the previous year can be accessed HERE.
Forecast Data
See Useful Definitions at the bottom of the page.
To help our customers build their roadmap for decarbonization goals, we can provide information that reflects Xcel Energy’s commitment to decarbonization. Some customers have used this data to incorporate Xcel Energy’s carbon intensity forecast into their carbon reduction planning, and others have changed their resource allocation based on Xcel Energy's forecasted grid decarbonization.
View our 10-year energy forecast showing our commitment to reducing carbon intensity across our service territory. Updated three times a year, this forecast reflects our latest information for “grid” provided electricity, Renewable Energy, Carbon Free Energy, and carbon intensity.
Click HERE to download the detailed 10-year energy and carbon intensity forecast in a spreadsheet.
Note: The information presented here and in the downloadable table is a forecast based on the best information available at the time it was created including Xcel Energy’s current resource plans. Xcel Energy reserves the right to update this information at any time with or without notice.
Useful Definitions
- Carbon Based Electricity
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Electricity produced using fuels that emit carbon such as coal, natural gas, and municipal solid waste.
- Carbon Intensity (CI)
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The amount of carbon emitted by generation sources using fuel (coal and natural gas) / total generation from all sources including renewable energy (lbs/MWh)
"The amount of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy consumed" Glossary - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
- Electric Grid
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The interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers. What Xcel Energy retail customers access for electricity.
- Other Carbon Free Energy (CFE)
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Examples include renewable energy, nuclear, hydro, and biomass. For our purposes, we have separated Renewable Energy from CFE as some customers expressed the desire to see RE separately. CFE as presented here and the downloadable data only includes nuclear, some hydro and some biomass. Note that we plan to expand the resources included over time as we pursue innovative carbon-free technologies.
- Renewable Energy (RE)
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Electricity produced by photo-voltaic (solar) or wind.
- Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)
- A renewable energy certificate, or REC is a market-based instrument that represents the property rights to the environmental, social, and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation. RECs are issued when one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable energy resource.