Energy use

  • Updated

This article outlines the types of energy use you can report on the platform, including gaseous, liquid, solid fuels, and other energy sources. It provides definitions and categories to assist with accurate reporting for Scope 1 & 2 emissions. 

Energy metrics breakdown 

Your energy use is one of the most important parts of your Scope 1 & 2 emissions. On the platform, you can report your various energy uses in; kWh, MWh, MJ, GJ, TJ, kcal, MMBtu, Therms, US Gallon, Imp. Gallon, L, ft3, m3, MCF and CCF. 

Please see below for more information on the energy metrics that you can report on:

  • Electricity 
    - Standard, Renewable purchased, Renewable self-generated 
  • Gaseous Fuels 
    - Liquified petroleum gases, Natural gas, Green gas (purchased green gas certificates), Liquified natural gas, Gas biomass; 
  • Liquid Fuels 
    - Crude oil, Diesel oil, Kerosene, Petrol/Gasoline, Residual fuel oil, Shale oil, Gas oil,; Liquid biomass, Naphtha, Lubricants; Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs); 
  • Solid Fuels 
    - Anthracite, Bitumen (Orimulsion), Brown coal (Lignite), Coking coal, Petroleum coke, Sub-Bituminous coal, Peat, Municipal Solid Waste, Solid biomass, Coke oven coke 
  • Other energy sources 
    - Purchased cooling, purchased heat, purchased steam, renewable heat (not including CHP) 

How this data is used 

Your energy data is used to understand energy profiles, such as the % of renewable energy use, and how different energy sources contribute to emissions. Your customers do not see the total energy amounts reported. 

It is also used to calculate your Scope 1 & 2 emissions. 

Calculating your Scope 1 & 2 emissions from energy use  

We apply emission factors to your reported energy and calculate both location-based and market-based emissions, in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidance. You can find more information in our Scope 1 & 2 emissions article. 

Differentiating between location- and market-based methods is based on the following energy types:  

  • Electricity procured from local suppliers. This will typically include a diverse energy mix, including some renewables. The national energy mix is accounted for in the location-based carbon emission factor that will be applied.

    If you have a supplier-specific emission factor from your electricity supplier (that is not 100% renewable), please contact emissionfactor@secaro.io. This will be used to calculate your market-based Scope 2 emissions.

  • Electricity procured from 100% renewable sources, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), direct wire, and green energy tariffs from suppliers.

    In markets using energy attribute certificates, these should be obtained and retired. This can also include the amount of unbundled energy attribute certificates purchased. It should not include the renewable energy component of a typical electricity tariff.

  • Electricity produced from renewable energy and consumed from installations that are owned by the company, onsite or offsite.

    Do not include any electricity exported to the local grid for resale.

  • Amount of gas consumption offset by purchased and retired green gas certificates. Certificates must be from the same pipeline/market as your supplier and from a reputable scheme.

    To avoid double counting, do not include this quantity in the other gas fields. Values will be given a zero-emission market-based factor unless you email a specific factor to emissionfactor@secaro.io.

    The location-based emission factor is based on that of typical natural gas in your area.

  • Energy generated and used from renewable heat sources. Examples include heat pumps and solar hot water.

    Do not include heat generated from combined heat and power (cogeneration) plants.

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