We define carbon-free electricity as electricity generated without producing carbon emissions during operation, in line with definition used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This includes all renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and hydro, as well as nuclear power.
The term is sometimes used interchangeably with low-carbon electricity. The difference lies in how emissions are accounted for over the entire lifecycle of a power source, from construction to dismantling. While these processes do produce some emissions, the operation of carbon-free electricity sources does not. In practice, no electricity generation method is completely free of carbon emissions across its full lifecycle.