Dec 20 2007
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The conversion factors provided here will assist in calculating the energy consumption in common units and in determining the emissions of carbon dioxide associated with energy use. This information can then be used to monitor the amount of energy used for the public disclosure of carbon emissions and energy consumptions.
Heat Content of Solid, Liquid and Gaseous Fuels
The table below shows the default gross calorific values of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. These values can be used when fuel-specific values are not provided by energy suppliers.
| Fuel Source |
by Weight
|
By Volume
|
| |
kWh / tonne
|
litres / tonne
|
kWh / litre
|
| Solid Fuels |
|
|
|
| Coal (weighted average) |
7417
|
-
|
-
|
| Coke |
8445
|
-
|
-
|
| Liquid Fuels |
|
|
|
| Crude oil (weighted average) |
12682
|
1192
|
10.6
|
| Petroleum products (weighted average) |
12751
|
-
|
-
|
| Ethane |
14071
|
2730
|
5.2
|
| Liquefied petroleum gas |
13721
|
1850
|
7.4
|
| Aviation turbine fuel |
12845
|
1251
|
10.3
|
| Motor spirit |
13087
|
1362
|
9.6
|
| Gas/diesel oil |
12668
|
1187
|
10.7
|
| Fuel oil |
12087
|
1031
|
11.7
|
| Power station oil |
12087
|
1142
|
10.6
|
| Gaseous Fuels |
|
|
|
| Natural gas |
-
|
-
|
11.00
|
| Coke oven gas |
-
|
-
|
5.00
|
| Blast furnace gas |
-
|
-
|
0.83
|
| Landfill gas |
-
|
-
|
5.8-7.0*
|
| Sewage gas |
-
|
-
|
5.8-7.0*
|
| Solid Renewables |
|
|
|
| Domestic wood (2) |
2778
|
-
|
-
|
| Industrial wood (3) |
3306
|
-
|
-
|
| Straw |
4167
|
-
|
-
|
| Poultry litter |
2445
|
-
|
-
|
| General industrial waste |
4445
|
-
|
-
|
| Hospital waste |
3889
|
-
|
-
|
| Municipal solid waste |
2639
|
-
|
-
|
| Refuse-derived waste |
5139
|
-
|
-
|
| Tyres |
8890
|
-
|
-
|
| Source: Annex A of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2005 |
| *Depends on methane content of the gas |
Carbon Emission Factors
The factors presented below are taken from Annex A of UKETS (01)05 (Guidelines for the Measurement and Reporting of Emissions in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme). These figures are also similar to the National Air Emission Inventory and with the carbon factors given in the generic PP3.02.
| |
Carbon Emission Factors
|
| Fuel |
kg C / kWh
|
kg CO2 / kWh
|
| Grid electricity |
|
|
| Delivered1 |
0.117 |
0.43 |
| Primary2 |
0.0453 |
0.1661 |
| Natural gas |
0.0518 |
0.19 |
| Coal |
0.0817 |
0.3 |
| Coke |
0.1013 |
0.373 |
| Petroleum coke |
0.0927 |
0.34 |
| Gas/diesel oil |
0.068 |
0.25 |
| Heavy fuel oil |
0.0709 |
0.26 |
| Petrol |
0.0655 |
0.24 |
| LPG |
0.05734 |
0.214 |
| Jet kerosene |
0.0655 |
0.24 |
| Ethane |
0.0545 |
0.2 |
| Naphtha |
0.0709 |
0.26 |
| Refinery gas |
0.0545 |
0.2 |
| 1The carbon emission factor for delivered electricity should be used when taking consumption as read from the meter. |
| 2The carbon emission factor for primary electricity should be used in calculations for Climate Change Agreements, where all energy use is reported in terms of primary energy. |
| 3Climate Change Agreement participants should use 0.117 kg C/kWh (0.43 kg CO2/kWh) for Coke. |
| 4Climate Change Agreement participants should use 0.0627 kg C/kWh (0.23 kg CO2/kWh) for LPG. |
The United Kingdom government also releases an annual conversion factors workbook to assist UK-based organizations and operations in reporting their greenhouse gas and carbon emissions. The workbook provides the guidelines on how to calculate and report the emissions of the organization accurately, as well as provides updates on any changes that have been made to the conversion factors from the previous year.
This article was updated on the 10th April, 2019.