R404A refrigerant emission factor by year
| Year | Scope 1 (kg CO2e per kg) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,943.0 | 0.0% |
| 2025 | 3,943.0 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 3,943.0 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 3,943.0 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 3,922.0 | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 3,922.0 | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 3,922.0 | 0.0% |
| 2019 | 3,922.0 | – |
Total kg CO2e for the seven greenhouse gases, from the official DESNZ files for each year. 2026 factor ID: 3_201_2120_3_1. Where a factor jumps sharply between two years, it is usually because DESNZ changed its method or data source, not because the activity itself changed.
Worked example
Take 5 kg of R404A topped up in a commercial cold room. 5 kg × 3,943.0 kg CO2e = 19.72 tonnes CO2e, reported as Scope 1.
How to report it
R404A is found in older commercial fridges, freezers and cold rooms, and has one of the highest warming effects of any common refrigerant. Small leaks make a big difference to a footprint, which is why replacing it is often a priority in a reduction plan.
Where the data comes from
You'll usually find it in your refrigeration engineer's service records. Keep the source documents: anyone checking your Carbon Reduction Plan or SECR report may ask how each figure was worked out.
Read more about how the factors change each year in our guide to the 2026 conversion factors, or see how we apply them in our methodology.
Related emission factors
- R410A refrigerant: 1,924.0 kg CO2e per kg
- R32 refrigerant: 677.00 kg CO2e per kg
- Average refrigerated HGV: 0.12122 kg CO2e per tonne km
- All UK emission factors