Carbon emissions from electricity are calculated by multiplying energy consumption (kWh) by an emission factor (kg CO2e/kWh). The emission factor depends on the energy source, as coal emits significantly more CO2 compared to renewable sources like solar or wind. The ‘Carbon Emissions’ tab allows you to configure energy sources and emission factors, ensuring accurate carbon footprint tracking.
To configure your energy sources and emission factors, follow these steps:
- Click the icon on the top-right corner of the webapp and click on ‘Settings’. Then go to ‘Carbon Emissions’ under ‘General Settings’.
- Select the calendar year you want to configure;
- Add your energy source(s). By default, the energy source ‘Grid’ is added;
- Enter the emission factor (g CO2e/kWh) for each energy source;
- Only when having multiple sources for electricity: allocate the percentage mix for each calendar month. The sum will always be 100%;
- Click on the ‘Save’ button. Changes may take up to 5 minutes to appear in the graphs.
The CO2e unit will be displayed across the ‘Energy,’ ‘Energy Balance,’ and ‘Energy Per Unit’ tabs within Electricity and Gas.
Additional details:
- Step 3, estimating grid emissions: For electricity sourced from the grid, precise emissions are difficult to calculate due to variations in energy production. A common approach is to use the average emission factor for the country’s annual electricity mix, available from reliable sources.
- Step 4, monthly energy mix: The energy mix may vary month-to-month, influenced by factors like seasonal weather changes (e.g., more solar power in summer). When configuring future months, use estimated percentages; these can be adjusted retrospectively to reflect actual data.
Suggested sources for emission factors:
- European Environment Agency
- Electricity Maps: Provides near-real-time data on electricity generation and associated emissions.
- Our default emission factor for natural gas (202 g CO2e/kWh) comes from IPCC - Emission Factor Database (2023).