Nano Banana 2 Environmental Impact
Gemini 3.1 Flash Image — the default image model across Gemini and Search
Energy per query
1.5 Wh
5x more than a Google search (0.3 Wh)
CO2 per query
0.20 g
Google Global Network grid (300 gCO₂/kWh)
Water per query
2 mL
~625 queries to fill 1 litre
Processing location
Google global network (64% renewable)
Provider
Category
Image Generation
Grid carbon intensity
300 g CO2/kWh (64% renewable)
How does Nano Banana 2 compare?
Ranked #85 of 166 models by energy per query
Head-to-head comparisons
Detailed Breakdown
Energy Consumption
Nano Banana 2 (formally Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) became the default image model across the Gemini app and Search in late February 2026. As a Flash-class model it is markedly cheaper to run than Imagen 4 (~2.8 Wh) — we estimate ~1.5 Wh per image, consistent with Google's efficiency-first serving strategy.
Power Source & Carbon
Runs on Google's global network, which Google reports as substantially renewable-matched; we apply the ~130 gCO2/kWh market-based intensity used for other Google entries.
Water Usage
At ~1.6 mL per image using Google's ~1.1 L/kWh fleet WUE. Note this is on-site cooling water only — Google's disclosed figures exclude off-site power-plant water.
About Nano Banana 2
Nano Banana 2 is the most energy-efficient image generation model in our dataset at 1.5 Wh per query — ranked #1 of 18 models in its category. Google's model, released in February 26, 2026, gemini 3.1 flash image — the default image model across gemini and search. Built on Flash-class multimodal Transformer (image generation).
Nano Banana 2 benefits from running in Google Global Network, one of the cleaner grid regions in our dataset at 300 gCO₂/kWh with 64% renewable energy. The same model running in a coal-heavy region would produce significantly more carbon per query.
These figures are estimates derived from hardware specifications and API benchmarks — Google has not published official energy data for Nano Banana 2. Actual consumption may vary significantly depending on batching, quantisation, and infrastructure optimisations that we cannot observe from outside.
Nano Banana 2 in Context
Your yearly Nano Banana 2 footprint
At 25 queries per day, your annual Nano Banana 2 usage consumes 13.7 kWh — roughly what a fridge uses in a month. That produces 1.8 kg of CO₂.
What does your Nano Banana 2 usage cost the planet?
Use our calculator to estimate your personal environmental footprint based on how often you use Nano Banana 2.
Calculate My ComputeFrequently Asked Questions
How much energy does Nano Banana 2 use per query?
Each Nano Banana 2 query consumes approximately 1.5 Wh of energy. This is 5x more than a traditional Google search (~0.3 Wh).
What is Nano Banana 2's carbon footprint?
Based on the carbon intensity of Google global network (64% renewable), each query produces approximately 0.20 g of CO2. The grid in this region has a carbon intensity of 300 g CO2/kWh with 64% renewable energy.
How much water does Nano Banana 2 use?
Each query consumes approximately 2 mL of water, primarily used for cooling the data centers that process the request.
How does Nano Banana 2 compare to a Google search?
A Nano Banana 2 query uses 5x more than a Google search in terms of energy. A Google search uses approximately 0.3 Wh, while Nano Banana 2 uses 1.5 Wh.
Technical Details
Architecture
Flash-class multimodal Transformer (image generation)
Release date
2026-02-26
Open source
No