Carbon Intensity API

Simple carbon intensity API for the GB grid that returns the current (last 5 min) carbon intensity (gCO2/kWh) in the GB electricity grid. Initially draws from the 'current' generation fuel mix as published by Elexon via BMRS.

For avoidance of doubt, this is unrelated to National Grid's carbon intensity API, which does not appear to be currently supported (based upon activity in the GitHub). I have no insight into how that works, except from their methodology paper (which does not describe how to reproduce) and assumptions published by others in journals.

Example API response

{
    "response": {
        "Average Carbon Intensity (gCO2/kWh)": 223.2,
        "Data Last Updated": "2021-01-31 17:15:00"
    }
}

Docker repository

Docker container build available on docker.com: https://hub.docker.com/repository/docker/doig/carbonintensity/

Environment variables

Configuration of the API can be made via environmment variables either in the Docker container or system.

Environment variable	Description
carbonintensity_port	Port on which to listen for calls to API (default: 8812)
carbonintensity_serverFolder	Server folder on which to listen for calls to API (default: \carbon)
carbonintensity_elexonAPIKey	Personal Elexon API key, available under 'my profile’ tab under Elexon account (free registration)
carbonintensity_appUseDirectAPI	True/False dictates whether calls to the API are directly passed onto the Elexon API (True) or whether a MySQL DB server is used to cache results (False) (default: True)
carbonintensity_dbServer	MySQL DB server address (if any)
carbonintensity_dbUser	MySQL DB user name (if any)
carbonintensity_dbPassword	MySQL DB user password (if any)
carbonintensity_dbSchema	MySQL DB scheme name for caching data (if any)
carbonintensity_dbTable	MySQL DB table name for caching data (if any)

Development plan

• Caching of generation data calls to speed up API response
• Addition of parameters to return more information
• More accurate carbon intensity factors for each fuel type/source
• Incorporating TensorFlow model for providing forecasts

Example API response (showsources=True)

{
    "response": {
        "Average Carbon Intensity (gCO2/kWh)": 215.7,
        "Data Last Updated": "2021-02-02 12:10:00",
        "Sources": [
            {
                "fuelType": "CCGT",
                "currentMW": 15855,
                "carbonIntensity": 394
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "OCGT",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 651
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "OIL",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 935
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "COAL",
                "currentMW": 1567,
                "carbonIntensity": 937
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "NUCLEAR",
                "currentMW": 5215,
                "carbonIntensity": 0
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "WIND",
                "currentMW": 10820,
                "carbonIntensity": 0
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "PS",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 0
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "NPSHYD",
                "currentMW": 233,
                "carbonIntensity": 0
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "OTHER",
                "currentMW": 148,
                "carbonIntensity": 300
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTFR",
                "currentMW": 2003,
                "carbonIntensity": 48
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTIRL",
                "currentMW": 251,
                "carbonIntensity": 426
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTNED",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 513
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTEW",
                "currentMW": 339,
                "carbonIntensity": 426
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "BIOMASS",
                "currentMW": 1742,
                "carbonIntensity": 120
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTNEM",
                "currentMW": 999,
                "carbonIntensity": 132
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTIFA2",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 48
            },
            {
                "fuelType": "INTNSL",
                "currentMW": 0,
                "carbonIntensity": 0
            }
        ]
    }
}