Following protocol
Emitwise prepares greenhouse gas inventories consistent with “The Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard”. We account for all greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.), which are expressed as metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents to reflect their varying global warming potentials.
Calculating emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated using a combination of activity data and emission factors. Activity data is a quantitative measure of human activity that results in a GHG emission, either directly or indirectly. An emission factor is a coefficient relating activity data with the corresponding GHG emission expressed in metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO2e).
If a company does not provide specific emission factors, the most appropriate, representative, and highest-quality emission factors are selected from an extensive internal database of emission factors.
Methodologies
Scope 1
Emitwise collects primary data on fuels purchased and combusted by companies in their owned or controlled facilities. Emission factors are then applied to reflect the emission intensity of various fuels.
This provides greater accuracy than using spend-based emission factors for fuels which may be subject to inflation and other price-distorting mechanisms hindering the calculation of the actual emissions generated.
Scope 2
Emitwise reports electricity emissions in both the market-based and location-based approaches, known as dual reporting.
- Market-based approach: A method to quantify scope 2 GHG emissions based on GHG emissions emitted by the generators from which the reporter contractually purchases electricity.
- Location-based approach: A method to quantify scope 2 GHG emissions based on average energy generation emission factors for defined locations, including local, subnational, or national boundaries.
Scope 3
Emitwise leverages the following two methods to help our customers identify, implement and monitor emissions reductions measuring across their supply chain:
- Spend-based method: A combination of primary activity data on the amount spent on purchased products and secondary emission factors for purchased products per monetary value.
- Average data (physical unit) method: A combination of primary activity data on the mass or quantity of purchased products and secondary emission factors for purchased products per unit.