This guide explains how Scope 1 & 2 emissions are automatically calculated on the platform, including the methods and emission factors used and why this is accurate.
Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions: automatic calculation
Greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption
For each energy type that you select, the value that you provide is converted to a standard unit of energy (terajoules (TJ)). It is then multiplied by a relevant emission factor to estimate the greenhouse gas emissions from the use of that energy. The results are then aggregated when multiple energy types are entered.
Specific emission factors take into account your location and the year. The platform is currently using one average factor per country. We appreciate that some countries, especially large ones, may have different factors within the country, as energy generation profiles can vary greatly within the country. We're currently working on improving our factors to take these differences into account.Manufacture 2030 utilizes emission factors from many authoritative sources. These sources are collected and curated to make sure they are ready for use within the tool and to make sure the calculations are as accurate as possible. These include:
-
Where possible, Manufacture 2030 prioritizes the use of official national government agency emission factors, ensuring alignment with country-specific reporting methodologies. These datasets are typically updated annually and reflect the most accurate country-specific data available. Examples include:
- US EPA GHG Emission Factor Hub
- UK DESNZ GHG Conversion Factors
- Bilans Ademe
- European Environment Agency
- National inventory reports and data tables published by the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change
-
The 2006 IPCC Guidelines were developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to provide methodologies and emission factors for estimating national level emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, many of which can be applicable to company-level emissions reporting.
-
Ember is an independent energy think tank that focuses on accelerating the global electricity transition. It provides data and analysis on electricity generation and its associated emissions, with a particular emphasis on transitioning from coal to clean energy sources. As part of its work, Ember publishes annual well-to-tank emission factors associated with standard electricity for many countries.
As we integrate this data into M2030, the emission factors undergo a transformation process. This process separates the two key components of each emission factor:
1. Direct emissions from electricity generation (e.g., fossil fuel combustion at power stations). This can be thought of as a location-based Scope 2 emission factor.
2. Upstream emissions from fuel production and processing (e.g., mining, refining, and transport of fuels). This can be thought of as a Scope 3 factor.This separation is based on assumptions of electricity generation efficiency per fuel type, derived from IPCC AR5 reports***. On the Measurements page, only direct emissions from the generation of electricity are used in the Scope 2 calculations.