shipapis
StarSubmit an APISubmit API

Hong Kong Observatory vs UK Carbon Intensity

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

APIHong Kong ObservatoryHEALTHY60UK Carbon IntensityHEALTHY70
Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d100%100%
Uptime · 30d100%100%
P50 · ms1415789
P95 · ms36701948
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useunclearyes
Data licenseHKO open data (see terms of use)CC BY 4.0 (per API docs)
Free tierFree, no keyFree — no API key
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

Hong Kong Observatory vs UK Carbon Intensity: common questions

Which is more reliable, Hong Kong Observatory or UK Carbon Intensity?

Both are neck-and-neck — Hong Kong Observatory and UK Carbon Intensity each measure 100% uptime over 90 days on our probe schedule. Reliability here is verified from our own scheduled checks; use the 30-day bars above to see which has been steadier lately.

Which is faster, Hong Kong Observatory or UK Carbon Intensity?

UK Carbon Intensity has the lower median latency in our checks — Hong Kong Observatory responds in 1415 ms versus UK Carbon Intensity at 789 ms (P50). Tail latency (P95) is in the table above; for most workloads the median is the number that shapes how the API feels.

Do Hong Kong Observatory and UK Carbon Intensity need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — Hong Kong Observatory is callable with no signup, and UK Carbon Intensity is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call Hong Kong Observatory and UK Carbon Intensity from the browser?

Yes — both Hong Kong Observatory and UK Carbon Intensity send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are Hong Kong Observatory and UK Carbon Intensity free for commercial use?

Hong Kong Observatory has unclear commercial terms, and UK Carbon Intensity allows commercial use on its free tier. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.