Appendix 2 - Examples of emission factor databases
Which emission factor databases are usable?
Many emission factors already exist and are made available in the form of emission factor databases. The most reliable databases, which are typically used in Bilan Carbone® approaches, are listed here.
The Base Empreinte® is a public emission factor database developed byADEME, French Public Agency for Ecological Transition, bringing together emission factors that are relevant to the French territory. Resulting from the merger of the former Base Carbone® and Base Impact®, it is the database to be prioritised in the majority of cases. This database provides quality indicators for some of its EFs. An account is required to access it; nevertheless the whole database is free. The documentation associated with the database is available directly on it. The Base Empreinte® notably offers spend-based emission factors by sector of activity, and therefore not specific to an actor or a market.
The different emission factors provided by the Base Empreinte® are systematically reviewed before their integration into the database, and their uncertainties are given in two forms:
In a quantitative form, via a percentage, which is currently provided by the user who proposed the emission factor.
In a qualitative form, via six indicators similar to those detailed here, each rated between 1 and 5 stars
The six indicators provided by the Base Empreinte® can be reused within the scope of the uncertainty calculation recommended here. However, it is desirable to modify the rating given to these indicators, in the case, for example, where you would use the emission factor of an activity in Brittany to account for the same activity in Auvergne. Indeed, the "Geographical Representativeness" indicator of the Base Empreinte® evaluates whether the LCA carried out is representative of the Breton territory, whereas your indicator must assess whether the emission factor you use is representative of the activity you are accounting for. In our example, even if the LCA was very good, you are using the emission factor from the wrong territory, so the geographical representativeness is not "Very good".
The Agribalyse® database is a public emission factor database co-led by ADEME and INRAE, which brings together environmental indicators for agricultural and food products, including emission factors. All the emission factors in this database come from life cycle assessments (LCAs). The documentation associated with this database is available here.
The INIES database is a national database bringing together environmental and health data specific to products and equipment in the construction sector, including emission factors.
The ecoinvent® database is an international emission factor database, bringing together more than 18,000 EFs from LCAs and managed by the ecoinvent association. It is one of the most comprehensive databases; however access to this database is paid.
The negaoctet database is an emission factor database specific to the digital sector. Part of the database is made available for free via emission factors directly integrated into the Base Empreinte®, but the rest of the database is paid.
The sectoral guides from ADEME generally include emission factors specific to the sector concerned, and are generally resources to use if the organisation's sector is covered by one of these guides. The sectors currently covered are:
Water and sanitation
Digital, Information and Communication Technologies
Trade and Distribution
Mountain sector
Public works
Viticulture and winemaking sector
Finance
Bakery
Cleaning services
Chemicals
Health
Spirits
Aviation occupations
Furniture
Aggregate and recycling site
Cosmetics
Non-market tertiary sector
Sports federations
Agricultural and agri-food
The EXIOBASE database is an international database that consolidates macro-economic data and environmental impacts, by region and by sector. It notably offers more numerous and more recent spend-based emission factors than the spend-based factors of the Base Empreinte®.
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