UK emission factors 2026
The UK government (DESNZ) emission factor for each activity a UK business usually reports, from electricity and fuel to flights, waste and refrigerants. Each page shows every year from 2019 to 2026, which scope it belongs to and a worked example.
Energy and fuel
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK grid electricity | 0.13096 | kWh | Scope 2 |
| Natural gas | 0.18231 | kWh | Scope 1 |
| Diesel (forecourt) | 2.5835 | litre | Scope 1 |
| Petrol (forecourt) | 2.0750 | litre | Scope 1 |
| LPG | 1.5571 | litre | Scope 1 |
| Heating oil (kerosene) | 2.5402 | litre | Scope 1 |
| Gas oil (red diesel) | 2.7554 | litre | Scope 1 |
Vehicles
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average diesel car | 0.27786 | mile | Scope 1 |
| Average petrol car | 0.25993 | mile | Scope 1 |
| Average hybrid car | 0.20857 | mile | Scope 1 |
| Average battery electric car | 0.043220 | mile | Scope 2 |
| Average diesel van (up to 3.5 tonnes) | 0.41386 | mile | Scope 1 |
| Average battery electric van | 0.068560 | mile | Scope 2 |
Business travel
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic flights | 0.22928 | passenger km | Scope 3, category 6 |
| Short-haul flights (UK to Europe) | 0.12786 | passenger km | Scope 3, category 6 |
| Long-haul flights | 0.15282 | passenger km | Scope 3, category 6 |
| National rail | 0.030920 | passenger km | Scope 3, category 6 |
| Average local bus | 0.10151 | passenger km | Scope 3, category 7 |
| Regular taxi | 0.20806 | km | Scope 3, category 6 |
| UK hotel stay | 10.400 | room night | Scope 3, category 6 |
| Homeworking | 0.32393 | full-time-equivalent working hour | Scope 3, category 7 |
Waste and water
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial waste to landfill | 520.58 | tonne | Scope 3, category 5 |
| Mixed paper and card recycling | 4.6536 | tonne | Scope 3, category 5 |
| Commercial waste to energy recovery | 4.6536 | tonne | Scope 3, category 5 |
| Water supply | 0.19130 | cubic metre | Scope 3, category 1 |
| Wastewater treatment | 0.17088 | cubic metre | Scope 3, category 5 |
Freight
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average HGV (road freight) | 0.10356 | tonne km | Scope 3, category 4 |
| Average refrigerated HGV | 0.12122 | tonne km | Scope 3, category 4 |
| Container ship freight | 0.016120 | tonne km | Scope 3, category 4 |
| Long-haul air freight | 0.89939 | tonne km | Scope 3, category 4 |
Refrigerants
| Activity | 2026 (kg CO2e) | Per | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| R410A refrigerant | 1,924.0 | kg | Scope 1 |
| R32 refrigerant | 677.00 | kg | Scope 1 |
| R404A refrigerant | 3,943.0 | kg | Scope 1 |
Factors are the total kg CO2e for the seven greenhouse gases, taken from the official DESNZ conversion factor files and published under the Open Government Licence. Scope 1 and 2 figures exclude well-to-tank and grid losses, which each page shows separately. Need a different factor?Carbon Recycling includes every DESNZ factor, not just these.