Carbon-Reducing Apps
The Sense App Helps Homeowners Reduce Their Home's Carbon Footprint
Laura McQuarrie — June 23, 2021
The Sense app has been updated so that homeowners can be aware of "when the electricity coming into their home is cleanest or dirtiest and take steps to minimize carbon emissions." The new feature offers a look into carbon intensity (CI) so that users can get a sense of when carbon emissions will be the lowest. The app lets users track their household carbon usage in real-time, as well as view a carbon intensity forecast over time so that high-energy tasks can be planned accordingly.
Carbon intensity, which varies throughout the day, is defined by the amount of carbon dioxide emitted to generate a specific unit of power. It's estimated that the average carbon intensity across the country's utility grid is approximately one lb/kWh, or about the CI equivalent of natural gas.
