Life Cycle Upstream Emission Factors (Pilot Edition)

The IEA is disseminating a new free pilot database including life cycle emission factors corresponding to national electricity grids. The pilot database assesses and compiles reliable data to provide a global harmonized database, in near future on an annual basis.

The database is published in an excel format and includes three main sheets with a set of life cycle emission factors corresponding to electricity generation. The factors are described below:

Total upstream emission factors (in CO2eq per kWh) (Sheet Total upstream factors)

Correspond to the total upstream emissions intensity associated with the national electricity generation. The factors are computed using the overall life cycle footprint of the electricity generation technologies/fuels excluding direct emissions from combustion of the fuels at the generation point weighted by their respective shares in the generation mix.

Fuel-cycle emission factors (in CO2eq per kWh) (Sheet Fuel-cycle factors)

Correspond to the fuel-cycle emissions intensity associated with the national electricity generation. The factors are computed using the life cycle emissions intensity corresponding to fossil fuels, uranium and biofuels fuel-cycles weighted by the respective shares of all fuels/technologies in the generation mix. The non-fuel cycle life cycle emissions and the direct emissions from combustion of the fuels at the generation point are excluded.

Life cycle adjustment factors for transmission and distribution losses (in CO2eq per kWh) (Sheet Life cycle T&D factors)

Include the emission intensities associated with the transmission and distribution losses of electricity in the grid developed from a life cycle perspective.

The above factors are also included in the IEA Emission Factors database complementing the direct emission factors previously published in the product.

The IEA is welcoming feedback on content, format and methodologies corresponding to this pilot version of the database.