Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database

Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID)

Company type	Government database
Industry	Environmental data, Electric power
Founded	December 1998
Founder	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Headquarters	United States
Area served	United States
Owner	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Website	www.epa.gov/egrid

The Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID) is an extensive collection of data concerning the environmental characteristics of almost all electric power produced within the United States. This dataset is issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As of January 2025, eGRID editions include information spanning the years 1996 through 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and annually from 2018 up to 2023. eGRID uniquely combines air pollution data with electricity generation figures at the individual plant level.

History

• The eGRID2023 version was published on January 15, 2025, with subsequent updates on January 17 and June 12, 2025.
• Annual datasets date back to eGRID1996, initially released in December 1998.
• Key editions have been systematically updated to incorporate the most recent emissions and generation statistics.

Data summary

eGRID offers comprehensive emissions information—including carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), mercury (Hg), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e)—all correlated with electricity production data. These emission metrics are essential for evaluating greenhouse gases and pollutants that affect climate change and air quality.

The database also presents detailed fuel source compositions such as fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas, other fossil types), nuclear power, and renewable sources including hydroelectric, biomass, wind, solar, and geothermal energy.

Distributed as an Excel workbook, eGRID contains data organized by unit, generator, plant levels, and aggregated across states, power control areas, eGRID subregions, NERC regions, and national summaries. Starting with eGRID2023, the EPA has integrated R programming into data processing workflows and provides related scripts on GitHub to assist users in analysis.

Additional resources encompass technical documentation, summary tables, maps of subregions and NERC regions, as well as release notes—all accessible via EPA’s official eGRID website.

The principal datasets derive from electric generator submissions to EPA’s Clean Air Markets Division under regulatory mandates (40 CFR Part 75) alongside information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Data use

eGRID data underpin carbon footprint assessments, emission reduction calculations, and indirect greenhouse gas emissions reporting for organizations such as The Climate Registry, California Climate Action Registry, California’s Mandatory GHG Reporting Program (AB 32), and various greenhouse gas protocols. It provided the basis for the international carbon emissions database known as CARMA. EPA-developed tools like Power Profiler, Portfolio Manager, WasteWise Office Carbon Footprint Tool, Green Power Equivalency Calculator, Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator, and Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator all utilize eGRID datasets.

Furthermore, eGRID supports electricity labeling and environmental disclosure programs such as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). State agencies rely on eGRID for electricity labeling initiatives, emissions inventories, and policy formulation including output-based standards. Numerous non-governmental organizations—including the ICLEI, Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), Rocky Mountain Institute, NRDC, Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), Powerscorecard.org, and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative—depend on eGRID for analytical purposes and tool development.

In 2010, Executive Order 13514 required Federal agencies to quantify, report, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both direct operations and indirect activities. The related Federal GHG Accounting and Reporting Guidance recommended applying eGRID non-baseload emission factors for estimating Scope 2 emission reductions achieved through renewable energy use.

See also

• Air pollution
• Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
• Combined cycle
• Electric power
• Electric utility
• Electrical power industry
• Electricity generation
• External combustion engine
• Gas turbine
• Power station
• Renewable energy
• Steam turbine

External links

• Electricity Data Files from EIA
• EPA’s Clean Air Markets – Maps and Data
• EPA’s Clean Energy Portal
• EPA’s Climate Change Information
• Guide to Using EPA’s eGRID for Carbon Footprinting in Emission Inventories
• EPA’s eGRID Resource
• Power Profiler by EPA
• Energy Star Portfolio Manager by EPA
• Acid Rain Program by EPA
• Combined Heat and Power Partnership – EPA
• Executive Order 13514 Documentation
• Federal Guidance on Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting
• Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator – EPA
• Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM)
• Ozone Transport Commission (OTC)
• Personal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator by EPA
• Powerscorecard.org
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
• World Resources Institute Homepage