Great River Energy provides its member-owner cooperatives with carbon intensity values based on 2022 and 2023 data1. These values, also known as emission rates, can be used by Great River Energy all-requirements members and their electric consumers to estimate the amount of carbon emissions associated with that energy (referred to under greenhouse gas reporting protocol as scope 2 emissions).
These values are based on the total amount of carbon emissions associated with Great River Energy’s portfolio of owned fossil-fueled generating facilities, power purchase agreements – including Rainbow Energy and all renewable energy; divided by the amount of energy delivered to all-requirements members. These values do not account for energy obtained by member-owner cooperatives from other resources such as member-owned renewable resources or other member-specific contracts for energy.
The decline in emissions intensity between 2022 and 2023 is mostly attributed to the reduction in coal fired generation related to Rainbow Energy Center and an increase in energy purchases from the MISO market.
Footnotes
1: Data are submitted to various regulatory agencies through second quarter of each year. Due to data consolidation and quality assurance, staff target posting of prior year’s carbon intensity in third quarter of the following year.
2: CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) is a value that includes the global warming potential of methane and nitrous oxide emissions expressed as CO2 equivalents.
3: These calculations were completed based on accounting methods and data available as of September 2024. These values will be updated as new data is obtained and/or as accounting methods evolve. Please refer to this webpage for the most current and accurate information.
Dated: 9/25/2024