We just wrapped up boiler efficiency upgrades at a few of our plants, and I’m now pulling together our ESG report.
What’s the best way to estimate emissions reductions when you don’t have on-site metering for fuel use?
Would love to hear how others have approached this.
That’s a common challenge, especially when trying to meet ESG reporting requirements without a full monitoring system in place.
One approach is to use fuel purchase records or utility bills to estimate usage, then apply standard emissions factors from sources like the EPA’s GHG Emissions Factors Hub or eGRID for electricity-related improvements. For boiler upgrades specifically, you can estimate efficiency gains (e.g., from 75% to 85%) and calculate the avoided fuel use accordingly.
It won’t be exact, but it’s generally accepted for internal reporting and even some voluntary disclosure programs.
Are you reporting to a specific framework (like CDP, TCFD, or SEC climate guidance), or just building an internal inventory?
That’s helpful, thank you. We’re mostly reporting internally right now, but we’re planning to align with TCFD next year. I’ll look into the EPA factors you mentioned. If you’ve seen any sample calculations or templates others are using, I’d be interested in that too.