Carbon content factors for bituminous coal, sub bituminous coal or anthracite for the 2012/13 reporting year

V1.0 12/03/2015

The National Greenhouse and Energy ​Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (NGER De​termination) for the 2012/13 reporting year does not list carbon content factors for bituminous coal, sub bituminous coal or anthracite.

More specifically, Schedule 3, Part 1 of the NGER Determination for the 2012/13 reporting period lists carbon content factors for the following solid fossil fuels:

  1. Black coal (other than that used to produce coke)
  2. Brown coal
  3. Coking coal
  4. Coal briquettes
  5. Coal coke
  6. Coal tar
  7. Solid fossil fuels other than those mentioned in items 1 to 5

The National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System Measurement Te​chnical Guidelines for the Estimation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Facilities in Australia dated July 2012 (the Technical Guidelines) states in Schedule 3 that while the default carbon content factors are not separately listed for sub bituminous coal, bituminous coal and anthracite, they can be derived using the respective default emission factors and energy content factors published in the Determination. The Technical Guidelines then state that carbon content factors are estimated from the CO2 emission factor, the oxidation factor and the energy content factor of fuels.

Therefore the default carbon content factors for sub bituminous coal, bituminous coal and anthracite are estimated as follows:

  • The carbon content factor for bituminous coal is equal to ((88.2kg CO2/GJ) / 0.98)*( 27 GJ/t / 3.664 t CO2/t C ) /1000 = 0.663 t carbon/​t fuel.
  • The carbon content factor for sub-bituminous coal is equal to ((88.2kg CO2/ GJ ) / 0.98 )*( 21 GJ/t / 3.664 t CO2/t C ) /1000 = 0.516 t carbon/t fuel.
  • The carbon content factor for anthracite is equal to ((88.2kg CO2/GJ) /0.98)*( 29 GJ/t / 3.664 t CO2/t C )/1000 = 0.712 t carbon/t fuel.

Schedule 3, Part 1 of the NGER Measurement Determination for the 2013/14 reporting period lists carbon contact factors for the following solid fossil fuels:

  1. 1. Bituminous coal

a. Sub bituminous coal

b. Anthracite

  1. 2. Brown coal
  2. 3. Coking coal
  3. 4. Coal briquettes
  4. 5. Coal coke
  5. 6. Coal tar
  6. 7. Solid fossil fuels other than those mentioned in items 1 to 5

For the 2012/13 reporting period, where scope 1 emissions estimations require the use of carbon content factors for bituminous coal, sub bituminous coal or anthracite, reporters are instructed to use the relevant carbon content factors listed in Schedule 3, Part 1 of the NGER Measurement Determination for the 2013/14 reporting period.​​​

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