Assumptions
Carbon calculator development – food for thought
Assumption data can vary widely by source (usually due to different studies or geographic locations).
The data we have included in this calculator has been checked with a range of experts to be ballpark correct.
Wherever possible South African assumption data has been used, but in many cases unfortunately reliable data pertaining to South African carbon footprint analysis does not yet exist. We hope that this tool can contribute to the development of such data.
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| Description | Value/EF | Unit | Source/Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2.3307 kg | CO2eq/litre | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| Diesel | 2.6694 kg | CO2eq/litre | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| LPG | 1.4968 kg | CO2eq/litre | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| Natural Gas | 2.0133 kg | CO2eq/m3 | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| Coal - Domestic Use | 3.0291 kg | CO2eq/kg | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| Wood | 1.906 kg | CO2eq/kg | Click here | |
| Electricity | 1 kg | CO2eq/kWh | Source of South African purchased electricity EF: Eskom Annual Report 2008. | |
| Transport | ||||
| MiniBus Taxi Fuel Type | Petrol | Assumption | ||
| MiniBus Taxi Fuel Efficiency | 13.8000 | l/100km | Assumption | |
| MiniBus Taxi Ave Occupancy | 7.0000 | Both Directions | Excluding Driver | |
| MiniBus Taxi Emissions Factor | 0.0433 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| Private Taxi Fuel Type | Petrol | |||
| Private Taxi Fuel Efficiency | 8.9800 | Assumption | ||
| Private Taxi Ave Occupancy | 0.8000 | Assumption | ||
| Private Taxi Emissions Factor | 0.2331 | Calculated | ||
| Local Bus Emissions Factor | 0.1115 kg | CO2eq/km | "The factor for local buses was calculated based on data publically available from the major bus service operators including Stagecoach, First Group, Arriva, National Express, Go-Ahead and from Transport for London, supplemented in some cases by average bus occupancy factors from national statistics. The DfT is currently considering changing the methodology used to calculate local bus CO2 emissions in future years. This approach will make use of actual fuel consumption data submitted by bus operators to the DfT as part of their Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) claims." | |
| Long Distance Bus Emissions Factor | 0.0306 kg | CO2eq/km | The emission factor for coach transport is the figure from the National Express Group's Corporate Responsibility Report, available at: click here. National Express are responsible for the majority of long-distance coach services in the UK, so this figure is expected to be broadly representative of the overall average. | |
| Rail | 0.0611 kg | CO2eq/km | The national rail factor refers to an average emission per passenger kilometre for diesel and electric trains in 2007. The calculation of the factor is based on the total electricity and diesel consumed by the railways in 2007/08 from the DfT National Modelling Framework Environment Module, and DfT transport statistics on the total number of passenger kilometres for 2007/08. Emission factors for freight rail are provided in Annex 7, Table 7f. | |
| Aviation | ||||
| Flight Uplift Factor | 0.09 | The 9% uplift factor comes from the IPCC Aviation and the global Atmosphere 8.2.2.3 , which states that 9-10% should be added to take into account non-direct routes (i.e. not along the straight line great circle distances between destinations) and delays/circling. Airline industry representatives have indicated that the percentage uplift for short-haul flights will be higher and for long-haul flights will be lower, however specific data is not currently available to provide separate factors. This is under investigation for future versions of these guidelines. | ||
| Aviation Multiplier | 1.9 | "The emission factors refer to aviation's direct carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions only. There is currently uncertainty over the other non-CO2 climate change effects of aviation (including water vapour, contrails, NOx etc) which may indicatively be accounted for by applying a multiplier. The appropriate factor to apply is subject to uncertainty but was estimated by the IPCC in 1999 to be in the range 2-4, with current best scientific evidence suggesting a factor of 1.9. If used, this factor would be applied to the emissions factors set out here." | ||
| Domestic Economy | 0.0946 kg | kg CO2eq/km | DEFRA GHG conversion factors - updated September 2009 - click here | |
| Domestic Business | 0.1419 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| International Economy class | 0.0827 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| International Premium economy class | 0.1324 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| International Business class | 0.2399 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| International First class | 0.3309 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| International Average | 0.1133 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| Domestic Average | 0.0992 kg | CO2eq/km | ||
| Water | ||||
| Municipal - Supply | 0.5590 | kWh/000l | Click here | |
| Municipal - Treatment | 0.7560 | kWh/000l | Click here | |
| Estimated Water Loss Percentage | 0.4000 | % | Click here | |
| Municipal Water Usage | 1.7807 kg | CO2eq/000l | Click here | |
| Bottled Wated | 0.32 kg | CO2eq/l | Click here | |
| Waste | ||||
| Total Waste | Click here | |||
| Kitchen/Food Waste | 2.793 | EPA WARM Model | Defra = 2.428+.365, these include production CO2 | |
| Garden Waste | 0.299 | Defra = .089+.21 | ||
| Paper & Cardboard | 1.5 | EPA WARM Model | Defra Values= 0.95+.55 | |
| Plastics | 3.14 | EPA WARM Model | Defra Values = 3.1+0.04 | |
| Glass | 0.85 | EPA WARM Model | Defra Values = .84 +.01 | |
| Metals | 4.69 | EPA WARM Model | Defra Values | |
| Other | 2.941 | Estimate | ||
| Waste Recycled | ||||
| Paper & Cardboard | 0.237 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Plastics | 1.6 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Glass | 0.525 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Metals | 1.84 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Waste Combusted | ||||
| Paper | 1.96 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Cardboard | 2.04 | EPA WARM Model | ||
| Waste Composted | ||||
| Kitchen/Food Waste Composted | 2.458 | 2009 Guidelines to Defra / DECC's GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting | ||
| Garden Waste Composted | 0.146 | 2009 Guidelines to Defra / DECC's GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting | ||
| Waste Transport | 0.032886477 | litres/ton/km | EPA. 1998. Greenhouse Gas Emissions From the Management of Selected Materials, Municipal and Ind. Solid Waste Division. December, 1998. | |
| Waste Transport | 0.0329 kg | CO2eq/ton/km | ||
| Total Waste | 433.0000 | kg/person/year | Production and end of life emissions WRAP | |
| Kitchen/Food Waste | 65.0 | kg/person/year | Click here 15% 38% | |
| Garden Waste | 60.0 | kg/person/year | ||
| Paper | 70.0 | kg/person/year | 16% 18% | |
| Cardboard | 39.0 | kg/person/year | 9% - | |
| Plastics | 48.0 | kg/person/year | 11% 7% | |
| Glass | 57.0 | kg/person/year | 13% 7% | |
| Metals | 18.0 | kg/person/year | 4% 8% | |
| Other | 76.0 | kg/person/year | 26% 22% | |
| Distance to Landfill Site | 50 | kms | ||
| Distance to Recycling Site | 25 | kms | ||
| Distance to Combusting Site | 50 | kms | ||
| Distance to Composting Site | 0 | kms | ||
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