Cross-border electricity into the EU is subject to CBAM based on the carbon intensity of the generating grid. Operators can use country defaults or demonstrate actual emission intensity with metered data.
Calculate my CBAM cost →Unlike goods sectors, electricity CBAM has a unique two-path approach:
| Path | When to use | Emission factor |
|---|---|---|
| Country default | No metered generation data available; standard imports over the interconnector | EU Commission default for exporting country's grid (updated periodically) |
| Actual metered data | Electricity is linked to a specific generating unit via a PPA and metered hourly data is available | Actual emission factor of the specific generator (can be near 0 for renewables) |
| Country | Approx. grid factor (tCO₂/MWh) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Serbia | ~0.65 | Coal-heavy grid |
| Turkey | ~0.50 | Mixed coal/gas/hydro |
| Morocco | ~0.55 | Coal + growing renewables |
| Ukraine | ~0.40 | Nuclear + coal mix |
| Belarus | ~0.35 | Gas-heavy |
| Switzerland | ~0.025 | Hydro + nuclear; near exempt |
| Norway | ~0.018 | Near 100% hydro; EEA exempt |
Values are indicative. Official default factors are published by the European Commission and updated annually.
Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein participate in the EU ETS via the EEA agreement. Electricity imports from these countries are generally not subject to CBAM. Switzerland has a bilateral carbon link with the EU that may also provide exemption or deduction.
If you have a Power Purchase Agreement tied to specific low-carbon generators (wind, solar, hydro) with hourly metered production data, you can demonstrate a near-zero emission factor. This can make a large commercial difference compared to the country default.
For electricity, the authorised CBAM declarant is typically the licensed electricity importer or the transmission system operator handling the cross-border nomination. This differs from goods sectors where the customs importer is responsible.
Electricity imports under CN 2716 into the EU are subject to CBAM based on the carbon intensity of the generating source. Importers use either the EU-published country default emission factor or actual metered data from a specific low-carbon generator. CBAM certificates must be surrendered annually equivalent to the embedded tCO₂ in the MWh imported.
It varies by country. The EU Commission publishes updated defaults — examples include Serbia (~0.65 tCO₂/MWh), Turkey (~0.50), Morocco (~0.55), Ukraine (~0.40). Hydro-dominated grids like Norway or Switzerland are close to zero.
Effectively yes, if you can demonstrate via metered data that the imported electricity came from a certified renewable generator with a verified near-zero emission factor. The PPA must be linked to a specific generating unit and hourly metered production data must be available for verification.
The authorised CBAM declarant — the licensed electricity importer registered in the EU CBAM Registry. In practice this is often the transmission system operator or a licensed energy trading company. Individual industrial buyers who purchase imported electricity domestically do not bear direct CBAM reporting obligations (the liability sits with the importer).
Enter your MWh volume and grid emission factor to calculate your CBAM certificate exposure.
Open Electricity CBAM Calculator