Emission Factors and Reference Values

Version 1.1
June 2023

Document revision history

Version number Publication date Summary of changes
1.1 June 13, 2023 Update of information and emission factors in alignment with the April 2023 publication of the National Inventory Report 1990 – 2021: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada
1.0 June 8, 2022 Initial version

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Introduction

Canada's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Offset Credit System is established under Part 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) to provide an incentive to undertake projects that result in domestic GHG reductions that would not have been generated in the absence of the project, that go beyond legal requirements and that are not subject to carbon pollution pricing mechanisms.

Canada's GHG Offset Credit System consists of:

The Regulations apply to a proponent of a project which is of a type for which a protocol has been included in the Compendium; that aims to generate GHG reductions by preventing GHG emissions or removing GHGs from the atmosphere; and with respect to which the GHG reductions are real, additional, quantified, verified, unique and permanent. Offset credits will be issued to a proponent of a project for the period covered by a project report in the amount determined in accordance with subsection 29(2) of the Regulations if requirements of the subsection 29(1) of the Regulations are met.

This document provides emission factors and reference values that a proponent must use in conjunction with a federal offset protocol to quantify the GHG reductions achieved by a project. The document is categorized into general values and values specific to federal offset protocols included in the Compendium. The proponent may need to convert the units of the values provided in this document to align with the units presented in the quantification methodology of the relevant federal offset protocol.

Emission factors and reference values are subject to periodic updates when a new federal offset protocol is included in the Compendium, or when updated versions of the sources referenced in this document are published. Proponents must use this document, as amended from time to time.

Abbreviations and acronyms

General

Global warming potentials

Global warming potentials are provided in Column 2 of Schedule 3 to the GGPPA.

Emission factors

Fuel combustion

Table 1 – CO2 emission factors for natural gas (g CO2/m3 natural gas)
Province / Territory MarketableFootnote 1 * Non-marketableFootnote 2 **
British Columbia 1966 2162
Alberta 1962 2109
Saskatchewan 1920 2441
Manitoba 1915 2401
Ontario 1921 2401
Quebec 1926 -
New Brunswick 1919 2401
Nova Scotia 1919 2494
Prince Edward Island 1919 -
Newfoundland and Labrador 1919 2202
Yukon 1966 2401
Northwest Territories 1966 2466
Nunavut 1966 -

* The term "marketable" applies to the fuel consumed by the Utility, Industry, Residential, Commercial, and Transport subsectors.

** The term "non-marketable" applies to raw/unprocessed gas consumption, mainly by natural gas producers.

Table 2 – CH4 and N2O emission factors for natural gas (g GHG/m3 natural gas)Footnote 3
Source CH4 N2O
Electric Utilities 0.490 0.049
Industrial 0.037 0.033
Producer Consumption (Non-marketable) 6.4 0.060
Producer Consumption (Non-marketable) – Newfoundland and Labrador 0.490 0.060
Pipelines 1.900 0.050
Cement 0.037 0.034
Manufacturing Industries 0.037 0.033
Residential, Construction, Commercial/Institutional, Agriculture 0.037 0.035
Table 3 – Emission factors for natural gas liquids (g GHG/L fuel)Footnote 4
Fuel CO2 CH4 N2O
Propane - Residential 1515 0.027 0.108
Propane - All Other Uses 1515 0.024 0.108
Ethane 986 0.024 0.108
Butane 1747 0.024 0.108
Table 4 – Emission factors for refined petroleum products (g GHG/L fuel)Footnote 5
Fuel CO2 CH4 N2O
Light Fuel Oil - Electric Utilities 2 753 0.18 0.031
Light Fuel Oil - Industrial 2 753 0.006 0.031
Light Fuel Oil - Producer Consumption 2 670 0.006 0.031
Light Fuel Oil - Residential 2 753 0.026 0.006
Light Fuel Oil - Forestry, Construction, Public Administration and Commercial/Institutional 2 753 0.026 0.031
Heavy Fuel Oil - Electric Utilities 3 156 0.034 0.064
Heavy Fuel Oil - Industrial 3 156 0.12 0.064
Heavy Fuel Oil - Producer Consumption 3 190 0.12 0.064
Heavy Fuel Oil - Residential, Forestry, Construction, Public Administration and Commercial/Institutional 3 156 0.057 0.064
Kerosene - Electric Utilities 2 560 0.006 0.031
Kerosene - Industrial 2 560 0.006 0.031
Kerosene - Producer Consumption 2 560 0.006 0.031
Kerosene - Residential 2 560 0.026 0.006
Kerosene - Forestry, Construction, Public Administration and Commercial/Institutional 2 560 0.026 0.031
Diesel - Refineries and Others 2 681 0.078 0.022
Diesel - Upgraders 2 681 0.078 0.022
Petroleum Coke - Refineries and Others 3 877Footnote 6 0.12 27.5 g/m3Footnote 7
Petroleum Coke - Upgraders 3 494Footnote 6 0.12 24.0 g/m3Footnote 7
Still Gas - Refineries and Others 1 755 g/m3Footnote 6 0.032 g/m3Footnote 8 0.00002
Still Gas - Upgraders 2 140 g/m3Footnote 6 0.000039 0.00002
Motor Gasoline 2 307 0.100 0.02

 

Biomass combustion

Table 5 – N2O emission factors for LFG combustion (kg N2O/tonne CH4)Footnote 9
Description N2O
Industrial combustion (for energy) of LFG (boiler, turbine, internal combustion engine, stations for natural gas network) 0.005
Flaring of LFGFootnote 10 0

Grid electricity GHG consumption intensity

A 'generation intensity' indicator is derived to reflect the GHG emissions intensity of electricity as it is delivered to the electricity grid. A 'consumption intensity' indicator is also derived to reflect the GHG emissions intensity of electricity as it is delivered to the consumer.

Table 6 – Electricity consumption intensity values (g CO2e/kWh electricity consumed )Footnote 11
Province / Territory Consumption intensityFootnote 12
British Columbia 15
Alberta 540
Saskatchewan 730
Manitoba 2.0
Ontario 30
Quebec 1.7
New Brunswick 300
Nova Scotia 690
Prince Edward IslandFootnote 13 300
Newfoundland and Labrador 17
Yukon 80
Northwest Territories 170
Nunavut 840

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