CO2 Savings Calculator
Estimate exactly how much carbon dioxide (CO2) emission you offset by producing or consuming clean renewable energy (kWh).
Clean Energy Gen
Total Carbon Offset
Equivalent to planting 105 mature trees.
Calculating Carbon Dioxide Emissions Offset
Transitioning to renewable energy like solar or hydro-power prevents millions of tons of greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere. Because traditional electricity grids burn coal or natural gas to generate electricity, every single Kilowatt-Hour of solar energy you produce prevents those power plants from burning equivalent fossil fuels.
The Grid Emission Factor
Translating electrical energy (kWh) into mass (kg of CO2) requires an Emission Factor multiplier. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regularly audits the power grid to establish this national average.
- The Conversion: 1 kWh of standard US-grid energy releases approximately 0.385 kg of Carbon Dioxide gas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Emission Factor change by country?
A grid running entirely on coal will expel massive amounts of CO2 per kWh. A country operating predominantly on nuclear reactors or hydroelectric dams (like France or Norway) has an exceptionally clean grid, meaning the emission factor is incredibly low. If your national grid is already 80% green, installing solar panels offsets significantly less CO2 than it would in a coal-heavy region.
How many trees do I need to plant to equal 1 solar panel?
A mature tree absorbs roughly 22 kg (48 lbs) of carbon dioxide a year. An average 400W solar panel producing 1.5 kWh a day will prevent roughly 210 kg of CO2 from being created every year. Therefore, a single solar panel does the annual carbon foot-print work of approximately 10 trees.