Australian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculator

Estimate the Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions of your home, property, or facility using the official Australian Government emission factors — the same factors that underpin the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) scheme.

Factors current for the 2025–26 reporting year Educational estimate — not an NGER compliance report

How this works

Answer three simple questions for each energy source you use: what you use, how much, and (for electricity) where you are. The calculator applies the Australian Government's published energy content and emission factors and shows your result in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO₂-e), with an explanation of what the number means.

Important: This tool is for education and self-assessment. It uses the factors in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (Method 1) and the National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Formal reporting under the NGER Act 2007 must follow the full legislative requirements and be submitted through the Clean Energy Regulator — this calculator does not do that (Clean Energy Regulator, 2025).

What are Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions?

Scope 1 (direct) emissions are released on your own property when you burn fuel — for example gas in a heater or cooktop, petrol or diesel in a vehicle or generator, LPG in a barbecue, or wood in a fireplace. Scope 2 (indirect) emissions are released at the power station that generates the electricity you buy from the grid. Both are reported in "carbon dioxide equivalent" (CO₂-e), which converts methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) into the equivalent warming effect of carbon dioxide so everything can be added together (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water [DCCEEW], 2025).

Step 1 — Grid electricity (Scope 2)

Find your electricity use in kilowatt hours (kWh) on your power bill. Most bills show usage per day or per quarter — enter your total for the period you want to assess (a full year gives the most meaningful result).

Your state / grid

Electricity used (kWh)

Western Australia has two grids: use SWIS for Perth and the south-west, and NWIS for the Pilbara. The emission factor differs by state because each grid has a different mix of coal, gas, hydro, wind and solar generation (DCCEEW, 2025).

Step 2 — Fuels you burn (Scope 1)

Add each fuel you use. Households typically only need natural gas, LPG, petrol/diesel (transport) or firewood. Students can explore the full NGER fuel list, including industrial fuels.

Fuel category

Fuel

Quantity used unit

Step 3 — Your result

Method, assumptions and limitations

Formula (fuels): Emissions (t CO₂-e) = Quantity × Energy content factor (GJ per unit) × Emission factor (kg CO₂-e per GJ) ÷ 1,000 — calculated separately for CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O and summed. This is "Method 1" under Part 2.2 of the NGER (Measurement) Determination 2008 (Australian Government, 2025).
Formula (electricity): Emissions (t CO₂-e) = kWh × state Scope 2 factor (kg CO₂-e/kWh) ÷ 1,000 (Australian Government, 2025, s 7.2).
Factors incorporate the relevant oxidation factors and use IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) global warming potentials, as adopted by the NGER scheme (DCCEEW, 2025).
Biogenic fuels (wood, biogas, biodiesel, ethanol) show CO₂ of zero under NGER accounting because the carbon released was recently absorbed from the atmosphere; their small CH₄ and N₂O emissions still count (DCCEEW, 2025).
This tool covers fuel combustion (Scope 1) and purchased electricity (Scope 2). It does not cover fugitive emissions, industrial process emissions, waste, agriculture, or Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions.
Transport fuel factors here are the general (default) transport factors; NGER provides alternative factors for post-2004 vehicles and Euro-standard heavy vehicles that differ slightly in CH₄/N₂O.

References (APA 7th edition)

Australian Government. (2025). National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (compilation No. 20, F2025C01192). Federal Register of Legislation. https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2008L02309/latest/text

Clean Energy Regulator. (2025). National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme. Australian Government. https://cer.gov.au/schemes/national-greenhouse-and-energy-reporting-scheme

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. (2025). National Greenhouse Accounts Factors: 2025. Australian Government. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth). https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2007A00175/latest/text