Emission Factors and Reference Values

Version 1.1
June 2023

Document revision history

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 Canadian Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System Regulations (the Regulations), which establish the system, implement operational aspects and set general requirements applicable to all project types;
• Federal offset protocols, included in the Compendium of Federal Offset Protocols (the Compendium), each containing requirements for project implementation and methods for quantifying GHG reductions for a given project type; and
• The Credit and Tracking System (CATS) to register offset projects, issue and track offset credits, and share key information through a public registry.

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

• CH₄: methane
• CO₂: carbon dioxide
• CO₂e: carbon dioxide equivalent
• g: gram
• GGPPA: Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act
• GHG: greenhouse gas
• kg: kilogram
• kWh: kilowatt hour
• L: litre
• LFG: landfill gas
• m³: metres cubed
• N₂O: nitrous oxide
• SF₆: sulfur hexafluoride
• t: metric tonne

General

Global warming potentials

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

Emission factors

Fuel combustion

* 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.

Biomass combustion

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.