Overview of Emission Factors
What is an emission factor?
An emission factor is a coefficient for converting raw data into emissions. Emission factors tell us what quantity of greenhouse gases are emitted from a given process or input – kilowatt hours of electricity, gallons of gasoline, airline miles flown, etc.
As is evident from even that short list, emission factors are quite diverse. They differ in the kind of raw data they apply to (volume, energy, distance, etc.), the unit of that data, as well as the kind of greenhouse gas emitted (read about how these different gases are combined into a single value, CO2e).
The general formula emission factors are plugged into is as follows:
(Quantity of Activity Data) X (Emission Factor) = (Quantity of Emissions)
How do I choose the right one?
Gravity was built to take the guesswork out of carbon accounting, including selecting the right emission factor. Not only does the platform convert units behind the scenes, but it also offers intelligent recommendations for emission factors based on contextual information.
We’ve curated a database of thousands of emission factors from trusted sources, such as the Environment Protection Agency, the International Energy Agency, as well as from more specialized industry bodies.
If you still have questions about how emission factors apply to your data, don't hesitate to reach out – support@gravityclimate.com