Calculator Methodology
Home Energy
Heating Fuel
Emissions factors were gathered by taking the carbon dioxide equivalent figures referenced from Canada's NIR 2011 (CO2, CH4, N20).
Electricity
Electricity emission intensity rates for Canadian Provinces and Territories were gathered from Canada’s NIR 2011.
US Electricity intensity rates were sourced from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Grid 2007 version 1.1.
Residential Floor Space
Emissions intensities for residential floor space was determined by gathering information on the total emissions from the operation of residential buildings in each province divided by the total residential floor space in each province.
Total residential GHG Emissions, excluding electricity, was accessed directly from NRCan CEUD. Electricity emissions were determined by taking the total electrical energy use, also listed in NRCan CEUD and applying electricity emissions intensity figures from Canada’s 2011 National Inventory Report submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Residential floor space figures were gathered from the Natural Resources Canada Comprehensive Energy Use Database. The most recent figures were used (2009).
Vehicle
Gasoline Emissions Factor
Source(s): Canada National Inventory Report 2011
Assumptions: Emissions Factors taken from Light Duty Gasoline Vehicles (LDGVs) with Oxidation Catalysts.
Diesel Emissions Factor
Source(s): Canada National Inventory Report 2011
Assumptions: Emissions Factors taken from Light Duty DieselVehicles (LDDVs) with Oxidation Catalysts.
Natural Gas Vehicles
Source(s): Canada National Inventory Report 2011
Biodiesel
Fuel efficiency for biodiesel was gathered from the Canadian National Inventory Report 2011.
Ethanol
Fuel efficiency for biodiesel was gathered from the Canadian National Inventory Report 2011.
Vehicle fuel economy from Natural Resources Canada Office of Energy Efficiency
Travel
Flights
Distance for flights is determined by employing the Halversine formula that measures the great circle distance between two points on the spherical earth using latitude and longitude coordinates.
The following assumptions were used in determining the emissions intensity of each passenger-kilometre flown:
- All emissions intensities and distances were determined by sourcing the 2011 Guidelines to Defra entitled “DECC’s GHG Conversion Factors: Methodology Paper for Emission Factors (UK DEFRA 2011) with the following adjustments:
- 1. Flights labeled ‘domestic’, ‘short-haul’ and ‘long-haul’ were renamed ‘short haul’, ‘medium-haul’ and ‘long-haul’ for the purposes of the Carbonzero flight calculator.
- 2. The maximum distance for flights labeled ‘domestic’ in UK Defra 2010 and ‘short-haul’ in the Carbonzero flight calculator was calculated to be 1200km based on lower number of UK Defra’s guidance of ‘short-haul’ flights lasting 1.5 – 5 hours and the assumption of the average flight speed of 800 km/h.
- The radiative forcing index (RFI) for the Carbonzero flight calculator is set at 1.9 in accordance to Sausen et. Al (2005).
Bus
Emissions intensity for bus transportation was calculated by dividing total greenhouse gas emissions from passenger bus transport from the total passenger-kilometers (pkm) travelled, information gathered from NRCan CEUD - 2009 values.
Sources
Sausen et. Al. (2005). Aviation radiative forcing in 2000: An update on IPCC (1999); Meteorologische Zeitschrift, V14, No. 4, August 2005 pp.555-561.
UK Defra (2011). DECC’s GHG Conversion Factors: Methodology Paper for Emission Factors. UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, August 2011.
Environment Canada (2011). National Inventory Report 1990-2009: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada.
Natural Resources Canada (2011). Comprehensive Energy Use Database: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/comprehensive_tables/
IPCC - Climate Change 2007, The Physical Science Basis – The working Group 1 contribution to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report. Table 2.14. 100 year values taken for Global Warming Potentials.
Canada's Fuel Consumption Database for Personal Vehicles. Updated for model years 1988 - 2012.
Methodology and/or Emissions Factors last updated: May 15, 2012