Emission Factors

An emission factor indicates how many kilograms of CO₂ equivalent (kg CO₂e) are emitted per unit of a specific activity (e.g., liters of diesel, kWh of electricity, kilometers traveled). Their application allows the transformation of activity data into quantitative emission estimates.

Types by scope:

• Scope 1 (direct emissions): From sources owned or controlled by the organization (e.g., combustion in vehicles or boilers).
• Scope 2 (indirect emissions from energy): Related to purchased electricity, heating, or cooling.
• Scope 3 (other indirect emissions): Linked to the value chain, such as travel, freight transport, or production of purchased goods.

Types by specificity:

• Generic: Average values from international or national databases, useful for initial estimates.
• Specific: Based on real consumption and emissions data from a specific entity, ideal for greater precision.

Common sources of emission factors:

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• National databases such as those from MITECO (Spain)

If you want to learn more about emission factors, you can visit our blog for more information or book a demo to see how we can help you.