Victoria Carbon Intensity

Victoria Grid Carbon Intensity

Victoria's grid carbon intensity has historically been among the highest in the NEM due to the Latrobe Valley's brown coal generators — Yallourn and Loy Yang A and B. Brown coal has the highest emission factor of any fuel type at approximately 1.22 tCO₂/MWh, meaning Victorian baseload intensity often exceeds 0.8 tCO₂/MWh during periods of high coal output.

However, Victoria's expanding wind generation fleet across western Victoria is progressively lowering the average intensity, particularly during periods of strong wind. The state's interconnections with South Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania provide further opportunities for lower-emission imports when local renewable generation is high in those regions.

As brown coal plant retirements accelerate, Victoria's carbon intensity profile is expected to shift significantly. Tracking these changes in real time is essential for accurate Scope 2 reporting and for organisations looking to align electricity consumption with lower-emission periods.