UK Electricity Carbon Intensity by Postcode

Look up the current half-hourly carbon intensity forecast and electricity generation mix (wind, gas, nuclear, solar, biomass, hydro, coal, imports, other) for the local grid region of any UK postcode. Official National Grid ESO data, no key needed, CC BY 4.0 licensed.

What does UK Electricity Carbon Intensity by Postcode do?

Current grid carbon intensity and fuel mix (wind, gas, nuclear, solar...) for any UK postcode.

What can you use it for?

• Schedule energy-intensive tasks (EV charging, batch jobs) when the grid is cleanest.
• Add a live carbon-intensity badge to a UK website or app by postcode.
• Compare renewable generation share across UK regions.
• Feed grid carbon data into sustainability or ESG reporting dashboards.

Why use this Actor?

• Fast and cheap: lightweight HTTP-based Actor with no browser, so runs finish in seconds and cost very little.
• No API keys or accounts needed for the data source (see notes below).
• Clean, structured JSON that you can export as CSV, Excel, JSON or XML, or pull through the Apify API and integrations.
• Scheduling, webhooks and integrations: run it daily and send results to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Make, n8n or your own API.

Input

Configure the run in the Input tab (all fields have sensible defaults).

Field	Type	Required	Default	Description
postcodes	array of strings	yes	-	Outward postcode only, e.g. SW1A, EH1, M1, CF10, B1.

Example input

{
  "postcodes": [
    "SW1A",
    "EH1",
    "M1",
    "CF10"
  ]
}

Output

Results are stored in the default dataset. Download them from the Output tab or via the API.

Example result

{
  "postcode": "EH1",
  "regionId": 2,
  "regionName": "South Scotland",
  "dnoRegion": "SP Distribution",
  "periodFrom": "2026-10-03T23:30:00.000Z",
  "periodTo": "2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z",
  "forecastIntensity": 0,
  "intensityIndex": "very low",
  "windPct": 82.3,
  "gasPct": 0,
  "nuclearPct": 17.7,
  "solarPct": 0,
  "biomassPct": 0,
  "hydroPct": 0,
  "coalPct": 0,
  "importsPct": 0,
  "otherPct": 0,
  "license": "CC BY 4.0 (National Energy System Operator, Carbon Intensity API)",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-04T00:11:08.102Z"
}

Output fields

Field	Type	Example
postcode	string	"EH1"
regionId	number	2
regionName	string	"South Scotland"
dnoRegion	string	"SP Distribution"
periodFrom	string	"2026-10-03T23:30:00.000Z"
periodTo	string	"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"
forecastIntensity	number	0
intensityIndex	string	"very low"
windPct	number	82.3
gasPct	number	0
nuclearPct	number	17.7
solarPct	number	0
biomassPct	number	0
hydroPct	number	0
coalPct	number	0
importsPct	number	0
otherPct	number	0
license	string	"CC BY 4.0 (National Energy System Operator, Carbon Inten...
scrapedAt	string	"2026-10-04T00:11:08.102Z"

How much does it cost?

The Actor is billed by Apify according to the pricing shown on the Pricing tab of this page. Runs are small and fast, and the Apify Free plan includes monthly platform credits so you can try it at no cost. You can set a maximum cost per run, and the Actor stops cleanly when that limit is reached.

Notes and limitations

• Use the outward part of a UK postcode only, e.g. SW1A, EH1, M1, CF10 (not the full postcode with inward code).
• Data refreshes every 30 minutes. The forecast, not a metered actual, is what the regional API provides.

Tips

• Start with a small test run, then scale up the input.
• Use Schedules to automate recurring runs and Webhooks or Integrations to deliver the data where you need it.
• Call the Actor from your code with the Apify API or the official JavaScript and Python clients.

FAQ

Where does the data come from?

The UK's National Energy System Operator (NESO, formerly National Grid ESO) Carbon Intensity API, licensed CC BY 4.0.

What does the intensity number mean?

Grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour (gCO2/kWh) of electricity generated in that grid region, forecast for the current half-hour period.

Why no 'actual' intensity for a postcode?

NESO only publishes an actual (metered) figure at the national level; regional figures are forecast-only, which this API reflects.

Feedback

Found a bug or need an extra field? Open an issue from the Issues tab of this Actor and it will be looked at quickly.

More tools from the same author

• Solar Panel Energy Estimate by Location (PVGIS, Bulk) - Monthly solar PV energy output estimates for any location from the EU PVGIS model.
• Global Weather Forecast by Coordinates: Hourly (Bulk) - Hourly weather forecasts for any coordinates worldwide from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.