Project Clean Grid is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions from electricity use.

By shifting when you use electricity, you can reduce the emissions of an activity, like charging your EV or home battery and doing laundry, by anywhere from 5% to 95% depending on your location and the season. Yet, few people are aware of this important climate solution. That’s where Project Clean Grid comes in. We provide users with real-time and forecast grid emissions data to help you find the cleanest times to use electricity, as well as times to conserve when emissions are high.

Working with our partners at WattTime, we display a specific type of grid emissions data called marginal emissions that focus on the real-world impacts of using electricity – which power plants actually respond when you use more or less electricity and how much carbon they emit. By avoiding the dirtiest times (red and orange), high-carbon power plants run a little less. Shifting your usage to the cleanest times (green) makes use of lower-carbon power sources in your region and can even result in more renewable energy flowing onto the grid in regions with significant amounts of clean energy.

Learn more about marginal emissions data.

Project Clean Grid was developed by Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) faculty, staff, and students.