When businesses first set out to calculate their carbon emissions, many start with Scopes 1 and 2. These are often the easiest to tackle because companies have greater control over them. But what exactly do Scopes 1 and 2 include? In this article, we’ll dive into Scope 1 emissions—what they are and the data you need to calculate them.
Fuels Burnt Onsite
Scope 1 emissions include direct emissions from burning solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels during your business’ operations. This could be as simple as using a gas boiler to heat your office or as innovative as installing a bioenergy furnace powered by wood chips or biodiesel. Or, perhaps your business uses gases like Argon or Carbon Dioxide in welding processes, these also contribute to your Scope 1 emissions, as they release pollutants directly into the atmosphere.
Calculating these emissions is straightforward if you have the right data. For example, if you’re using natural gas from the grid, you can easily track your usage from your energy bills. If you use additional fuels, it becomes a bit more complex. A simple approach is to calculate how much fuel you’ve purchased throughout the reporting year. Just make sure you stick with the same method for consistency in future reports.
Refrigerants
Refrigerant leaks from air conditioning systems are another source of Scope 1 emissions. If your business uses air conditioning, you likely receive an annual survey of any refrigerant leaks. To calculate the associated emissions, all you need is the leak report data and details about the type of refrigerant used, as different systems use different refrigerants with varying impacts.
Company Vehicles
The final category under Scope 1 involves emissions from company-owned vehicles. This doesn’t include leased vehicles, employee commuting, or deliveries by third-party companies, as those are considered Scope 3 emissions.
Calculating emissions from company vehicles is simple, too. For cars, you’ll need details like fuel type, engine size, and total mileage. For vans and HGVs, you’ll need the maximum authorised mass (MAM) and the annual mileage.
We hope this article has helped clarify Scope 1 emissions and provided you with practical steps to calculate them. If you need more detailed information, feel free to reach out!