How clean is the electricity I use? - Power Profiler (EPA/US DoE)

[Dogmudgeon]

What's your baseload "mix"?

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html">The Power Profiler

In the United States, electricity is generated in many different ways, with a wide variation in environmental impact. Electricity generation from the combustion of fossil fuels contributes toward unhealthy air quality, acid rain, and global climate change.

Many electricity customers can choose their provider of electricity or can purchase green power from their utility. In fact, you might now have the option of choosing cleaner, more environmentally friendly sources of energy.

Power Profiler will:

* Determine your power grid region based on your ZIP code and electric utility
* Compare the fuel mix and air emissions rates of the electricity in your region to the national average
* Determine the air emissions impacts of electricity use in your home or business

Power Profiler is very easy to use and takes about 5 minutes. To start, all you need is your ZIP code.

Power Profiler currently uses year 2005 data from EPA’s Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID).

The Power Profiler report will show you the air emissions attributable to the electricity you use in your home or business during one year, along with a description of what these numbers mean in everyday terms.

http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html">The Power Profiler

It uses somewhat old information (2005), but it should still provide pretty reliable numbers for the more established energy sources. I'm sure if it proves popular, the EPA can be persuaded to spend some of the Taxpayers' Hard-Earned Dollars™ (confiscated at gunpoint, of course) to bring it up to date as possible -- say, 2009.

--d!