Electricity is a key energetic component to socio-economic development. Its production is based on non-renewable resources (fossil fuels), renewable sources and nuclear energy. The generation by fossil fuels produces the emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, whose magnitude depends on the matrix or mix of power generation. The percentage of CO2 emissions around the world attributed to electricity and heat generation reaches 41%. The CO2 emission factors per unit of electricity available for consumption in Ecuador were estimated for the period 2001-2011. The results vary between 214.0 and 397.5 g CO2 kWh-1. The highest value corresponds to 2010, the year with the highest participation of non-renewable resources (52.2%). The lower value corresponds to 2003, year with lowest participation of non-renewable resources (34.5%). The most recent value, for the year 2011, is 313.3 g CO2 kWh-1. This emission factor serves to establish indicators of sustainability (as the carbon or the ecological footprint) in different areas. It is a basic parameter in energy planning.
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