Southern Grid Emission Factor — 0.8086 tCO₂/MWh for FY 2024-25

Latest Southern regional grid emission factor

The Southern regional grid emission factor for FY 2024-25 is 0.8086 tCO₂/MWh, computed by Batchwise from the CEA CO2 Baseline Database for the Indian Power Sector Version 21.0 (published 2025-11-01). This factor is derived by aggregating plant-level emissions and net generation across 721 grid-connected power stations mapped to the Southern regional grid, covering Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.

Important provenance note: CEA V21.0 publishes the all-India weighted-average grid emission factor, not regional grid factors. The Southern regional factor above is computed by Batchwise from the CEA plant-level Data sheet using the standard CEA 5-grid regional mapping. It is a transparent aggregation of CEA’s own plant data — not an independent estimate — but it is not a number directly published by CEA.

Regional factor at a glance — FY 2024-25

Parameter	Value
Southern regional grid EF (FY 2024-25)	0.8086 tCO₂/MWh
Grid-connected plants covered	721
Installed capacity (MW)	137,560.6
Net generation (GWh)	568,725.1
Absolute emissions (million t CO₂)	459.875
States / UTs covered	AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep
Source	Computed from CEA V21.0 plant-level data
All-India factor (same year, CEA-published)	0.7117 tCO₂/MWh

The Southern grid factor of 0.8086 tCO₂/MWh sits above the all-India average (0.7117) but below the Western grid (0.8900) and Eastern grid (0.9280) — reflecting the Southern grid’s notable renewable energy base, particularly Karnataka’s solar and wind capacity and Tamil Nadu’s wind capital status.

For the Operating Margin (OM), Build Margin (BM), and Combined Margin (CM) variant conventions — defined under UNFCCC CDM methodology ACM0002 / Ver 22.0 and the UNFCCC Tool to Calculate the Emission Factor for an Electricity System (Version 7.0) — the all-India variants are in the CEA all-India methodology page. CEA V21.0 does not publish OM / BM / CM breakdowns at the regional level; those variants are only available at the all-India aggregate level from the CEA Results sheet.

3-year trend — Southern regional computed emission factor

The Southern regional factor over the three years covered in the Batchwise CEA aggregation:

Reporting year	Computed EF (tCO₂/MWh)	Net generation (GWh)	Absolute emissions (million t)	Plants
2022-23	0.7779	513,320.3	399.334	565
2023-24	0.8452	543,122.5	459.066	592
2024-25	0.8086	568,725.1	459.875	721

Commentary on the trend:

• 2022-23 → 2023-24 (+8.7%): The sharpest single-year increase in the 3-year series. Telangana’s generation rose from 107,536 GWh to 110,442 GWh and its factor climbed from 0.8316 to 0.9065, reflecting higher coal-plant utilisation in the Hyderabad industrial catchment. Andhra Pradesh’s factor moved from 0.9203 to 0.9556, driven by coal-heavy plants dominating AP’s baseload as gas plants ran at lower PLF.

• 2023-24 → 2024-25 (−4.3%): A partial reversal. Karnataka’s factor fell sharply — from 0.7024 to 0.6505 — as renewable capacity additions (including completion of Pavagada solar phases and continued wind additions in the Davangere–Chitradurga corridor) grew net generation from 113,369 GWh to 123,669 GWh while absolute emissions barely moved (+1%). Tamil Nadu’s factor eased from 0.8659 to 0.8441, with solar capacity growth and Muppandal wind capacity moderating the coal and lignite base. Telangana’s factor declined from 0.9065 to 0.8411, reflecting both RE additions and coal plant utilisation normalisation.

The underlying structural story for the Southern grid is a two-speed dynamic: Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are pulling the factor down through RE leadership; Andhra Pradesh and (to a lesser extent) Telangana are coal-anchored and pull in the opposite direction.

Generation mix — Southern grid, FY 2024-25

The table below shows each Southern state’s share of total regional generation and the corresponding state-level computed emission factor, computed from CEA V21.0 plant data. Fuel-mix percentages are for thermal generation only (RE and hydro are zero-emission in the denominator); the “thermal fossil share” column shows what fraction of each state’s generation is attributable to fossil-fuel plants.

State / UT	Net gen (GWh)	Share of Southern total	Computed EF (tCO₂/MWh)	Key fossil fuel mix (thermal plants)
Tamil Nadu	176,517	31.0%	0.8441	Coal 55.7%, Lignite 19.7%, Gas 1.7%
Andhra Pradesh	136,293	24.0%	0.9618	Coal 96.0%
Karnataka	123,669	21.7%	0.6505	Coal 66.2%, Gas 0.5%
Telangana	117,839	20.7%	0.8411	Coal 90.1%
Kerala	14,034	2.5%	~0.0	Hydro-dominant; near-zero fossil
Puducherry	375	0.1%	0.6325	Gas 100%
Lakshadweep	0	—	—	No generation reported in V21.0

Fuel-mix percentages are for thermal (fossil) plants only — RE and hydro plants are zero-emission and are not listed in the fuel-mix column; their generation enters the denominator, lowering the weighted-average factor proportionally. The “thermal fossil share” in the source data does not sum to 100% within each state because the balance is RE (solar, wind, biomass, small hydro) and large hydro.

The high concentration of Tamil Nadu (31%) and Andhra Pradesh (24%) — both with above-average emission intensities — explains why the Southern regional aggregate (0.8086) sits well above Karnataka’s state-level factor (0.6505) despite Karnataka’s RE leadership.

States covered + regional context

The Southern regional grid comprises seven states and union territories. Their emission characteristics differ markedly:

Andhra Pradesh (24% of Southern generation, EF 0.9618): The highest-emitting state in the Southern cluster. Post-bifurcation AP is industrial-heavy with a coal-dominant generation base (96% of thermal generation is coal). The state’s factor has been above 0.92 across all three years in the dataset. Entities with significant AP operations should note that the all-Southern factor understates their location-based Scope 2 intensity if the AP state-level factor is material.

Karnataka (21.7% of Southern generation, EF 0.6505): The lowest-intensity major state in the Southern cluster and one of India’s leading RE states. Pavagada Solar Park (one of the world’s largest operational solar parks, located in Tumkur district) contributes to Karnataka’s growing solar share. The Davangere–Chitradurga–Gadag wind corridor adds wind capacity. Bengaluru’s IT sector consumes a significant share of Karnataka’s grid supply, making the Karnataka state-level factor relevant for IT services entities disclosing under BRSR Core. Karnataka’s factor fell from 0.7024 (FY 2023-24) to 0.6505 (FY 2024-25), the largest single-year improvement among the major Southern states.

Kerala (2.5% of Southern generation, EF ~0.0): Kerala’s grid is hydro-dominant. The 110 plants registered under Kerala in CEA V21.0 report near-zero fossil generation — the state’s large hydro stations (Idukki, Sholayar, Sabarigiri) account for the majority of net generation. Kerala’s small generation share means it has limited dilutive effect on the Southern aggregate despite its near-zero emission intensity.

Tamil Nadu (31% of Southern generation, EF 0.8441): The largest generation contributor in the Southern grid. Tamil Nadu carries a mixed thermal base (coal, lignite, and a small gas share) alongside the Muppandal wind farm complex — India’s largest wind energy cluster — and a growing solar portfolio. The lignite share (19.7% of thermal generation) is distinctive; lignite has a higher emission factor per unit heat than coal, which moderately elevates Tamil Nadu’s intensity relative to a pure-coal state with the same RE share.

Telangana (20.7% of Southern generation, EF 0.8411): Telangana’s grid is coal-heavy at 90.1% of thermal generation. The Hyderabad industrial and data-centre load is substantial. Telangana’s factor improved from 0.9065 in FY 2023-24 to 0.8411 in FY 2024-25, reflecting a combination of coal plant utilisation changes and RE additions to the state’s portfolio.

Puducherry (0.1% of Southern generation, EF 0.6325): Puducherry’s two registered plants run on gas (100% of thermal generation), giving it a relatively low emission intensity per MWh. Its generation volume is negligible at the regional level.

Lakshadweep (0% of Southern generation in V21.0): Two plants are registered for Lakshadweep in CEA V21.0 with 53.7 MW installed capacity, but net generation is reported as zero for FY 2024-25. No emission factor is computed.

Comparison to other regional grids

Regional grid	Computed EF 2024-25 (tCO₂/MWh)	Relative to Southern
North-Eastern Grid	0.4285	−46% (hydro-dominant)
Northern Grid	0.7335	−10%
All-India (CEA-published, excl. imports)	0.7117	−12%
Southern Grid (computed)	0.8086	—
Western Grid	0.8900	+10%
Eastern Grid	0.9280	+15%

The Southern grid at 0.8086 tCO₂/MWh occupies the middle of the five-region spectrum — materially above the North-Eastern and Northern grids, but below the coal-heavy Western and Eastern grids.

Two structural features keep the Southern factor below Western and Eastern despite substantial thermal baseload: (a) Karnataka’s RE leadership is disproportionate to its generation share — its factor of 0.6505 anchors the Southern average down, and (b) Tamil Nadu’s lignite-plus-wind mix, while carbon-intensive per thermal MWh, has enough RE dilution in the denominator to sit below the Western grid’s factor.

The Southern grid is above the all-India average (0.7117) because Andhra Pradesh’s near-pure-coal baseload (96% coal, EF 0.9618) and Tamil Nadu’s lignite share pull the Southern weighted average above the national figure, even with Karnataka and Kerala’s low-intensity portfolios in the mix.

Year-on-year cross-grid movement (2023-24 → 2024-25):

Grid	2023-24 EF	2024-25 EF	Movement
Northern	0.7376	0.7335	−0.8%
Western	0.9010	0.8900	−1.2%
Southern	0.8452	0.8086	−4.3%
Eastern	0.8947	0.9280	+3.7%
North-Eastern	0.4549	0.4285	−4.6%

The Southern grid’s 4.3% improvement in FY 2024-25 is among the largest single-year reductions across Indian regional grids, driven primarily by Karnataka’s renewable additions.

Scope 2 calculation — worked example

For an entity with FY 2024-25 grid electricity consumption of 8,000 MWh from facilities in the Southern grid:

Location-based method (per GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance):

Scope 2 emissions = consumption × applicable emission factor
                  = 8,000 MWh × 0.8086 tCO₂/MWh
                  = 6,469 tCO₂e

For comparison using the all-India factor:

                  = 8,000 MWh × 0.7117 tCO₂/MWh
                  = 5,694 tCO₂e

The difference of ~775 tCO₂e (~13.6%) illustrates why Southern-grid entities may wish to document and disclose the applicable regional factor alongside the all-India factor, particularly for BRSR Core GHG intensity calculations where inter-year comparability and geographic precision are relevant.

Market-based method (per GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance):

If the entity has procured 2,000 MWh through PPAs or RECs backed by renewable energy with a contractual emission factor of zero:

Renewable-procured: 2,000 MWh × 0 tCO₂/MWh = 0 tCO₂e
Residual grid:      6,000 MWh × residual mix factor

The residual mix factor for the Southern grid is not published by CEA. Entities applying the market-based method commonly use the CEA all-India or regional weighted-average factor as a conservative proxy for the residual. The methodology applied should be documented and disclosed.

The underlying BRSR Core attribute that consumes this factor is GHG Emission Intensity per Revenue.

When to use the Southern factor — BRSR Core context

Common practice patterns observed in BRSR / GHG inventory engagements for Southern-grid entities:

• Single-region Southern entity: an entity with all facilities in the Southern regional grid may apply the Southern computed factor (0.8086 tCO₂/MWh for FY 2024-25) as the location-based Scope 2 factor, where the entity has documented its boundary at the Southern regional grid level. This is the entity’s methodology choice, not a SEBI-prescribed method.

• Karnataka-concentrated entity: Karnataka’s state-level factor (0.6505) is materially lower than the Southern regional average. An entity with all facilities in Karnataka may further refine to the Karnataka state-level factor if the entity documents the state-boundary convention — though the regional-level factor is the more commonly cited anchor given that state-level factors are computed, not CEA-published.

• Multi-region entity: the all-India weighted-average grid emission rate (0.7117, CEA-published for FY 2024-25) is commonly applied as a single factor across all locations. Entities in the Southern grid using the all-India factor will understate Scope 2 emissions by approximately 13% relative to the Southern regional factor — a discrepancy worth noting in the methodology footnote for transparency.

• BRSR Core phase-in applicability: the BRSR Core reasonable assurance requirement is phased in by market-capitalisation rank per SEBI’s applicable circulars — refer to the latest applicable SEBI circular for the current phase-in dates and entity-cohort thresholds. The specific applicability window for any given entity should be confirmed against the entity’s current market-capitalisation rank for the relevant reporting cycle.

The choice of factor variant (regional vs all-India), the specific CEA edition (V21.0 for FY 2024-25), and the averaging convention (single-year vs multi-year) is the entity’s documented methodology call — not a SEBI-prescribed convention. The choice should be applied consistently year-on-year and disclosed in the BRSR methodology footnote.

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Where Batchwise fits (service description — separate from the regulatory data above)

The sections above describe the regulatory and authoritative data for the CEA Southern regional grid emission factor — content that any entity preparing a Scope 2 inventory or BRSR Core submission for Southern-grid facilities would reference regardless of tooling.

The section below describes Batchwise’s service in this workflow.

Batchwise is a workflow and data-preparation service layered over the BRSR / Scope 2 calculation framework — not part of the framework itself. The entity remains responsible for the BRSR submission, the Scope 2 inventory, and any sign-off; the partner CA firm remains responsible for the assurance opinion.

In practice, Batchwise’s role for entities applying the Southern grid factor includes:

• Southern-grid utility-bill aggregation — supporting structured aggregation of monthly utility bills across facilities in AP, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry for consistent Scope 2 calculation
• Methodology documentation support — supporting the entity’s methodology footnote (regional vs all-India, which CEA edition, which averaging convention)
• BRSR Core assurance coordination — operational support for partner CA firm engagement scoping and coordination

The signed BRSR is the entity’s submission, signed by the entity’s authorised signatory under the entity’s authorised-signatory DSC. The assurance opinion is a separate signed artefact — it is the partner CA firm’s output, on the partner CA firm’s letterhead, under the partner CA firm’s signing partner’s DSC. The entity’s authorised signatory does not sign the assurance opinion.

Related reading

• CEA Grid Emission Factors (pillar) — the methodology context for all CEA factor variants
• CEA All-India Grid Emission Factor — the CEA-published all-India factor (0.7117 tCO₂/MWh, FY 2024-25)
• Regional factor pages: Northern, Western, Eastern, North-Eastern
• Southern state pages: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep
• GHG Emission Intensity per Revenue — the BRSR Core attribute that consumes this factor
• NGRBC Principle 6 — Environment — the principle pillar
• Audit Evidence Documentation for BRSR — working-paper discipline including utility-bill evidence
• BRSR Core Assurance Service — engagement scope including Scope 2 verification