Most plants already measure the energy that drives their carbon footprint, but turning it into a Scope 1 and 2 number an auditor will accept still means rebuilding the same workbook every quarter from meters, invoices and factor spreadsheets. Energy monitoring for carbon and ESG reporting closes that gap by calculating emissions from live consumption, with every factor and every reading traceable. See how it works on your own sites in a short carbon dashboard demo.
Turn Every Meter Reading Into Audit-Ready Scope 1 and 2 Emissions
iFactory's Carbon & ESG Dashboard links real-time electricity, gas and fuel data to versioned emission factors. It reports location-based and market-based Scope 2 side by side, tracks carbon intensity per unit and keeps the evidence trail an assurance provider will ask for.
Where Plant Energy Lands in Scope 1 and Scope 2
The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard splits emissions by who controls the source. Fuel burned on site is Scope 1. Electricity, steam, heat and cooling bought from someone else is Scope 2. The upstream emissions from producing and delivering those fuels sit in Scope 3, which is outside this page. For most manufacturers, energy makes up the bulk of Scope 1 and 2, so good energy data is most of the work. Map your own energy sources with our support team.
A gas-fired boiler is Scope 1. Swap it for an electric heat pump and those emissions move to Scope 2, at a level set by your grid. Tracking both scopes from the same energy data shows the real effect of electrification.
Location-Based and Market-Based, Side by Side
The 2015 GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance asks companies to report two Scope 2 figures. The location-based method uses the average emission rate of the grid where you consume power. The market-based method uses the contracts you choose, such as supplier rates, renewable certificates and PPAs. Where you have no contract, a residual mix factor applies. Plan dual reporting in a Scope 2 review.
- Average grid emission rate for the region, such as an eGRID subregion in the US
- Same answer for every user on that grid
- Falls as the grid gets cleaner, even if the plant does nothing
- Good for comparing sites and tracking real efficiency
- Supplier-specific rates, certificates and PPAs you hold
- Residual mix factor for power not covered by a contract
- Reflects your purchasing choices
- Must meet quality criteria for each instrument
The GHG Protocol consulted on a stricter market-based method from October 2025 to January 2026, including hourly matching and deliverability. In 2026 its board moved towards two market-based methods, with a further consultation slated for Q2 2027. Until a final version is published, the 2015 guidance applies. Storing hourly consumption now keeps both options open.
Choosing, Recording and Versioning Your Factors
An emissions figure is only as good as the factor behind it. Factor sets are published on their own cycles, and a new edition can move your total even when consumption stays flat. The UK 2026 conversion factors, for example, cut the grid electricity factor by around 26%. Record which set and version each month used, and recalculate only by decision. Talk factor policy through with our ESG team.
kWh × Factor = kg CO2e, Worked Through
The core arithmetic is simple. The hard part is doing it the same way every month, for every meter and every site. The example below uses illustrative inputs for one plant over one month. The grid factor of 0.35 kg CO2e per kWh is close to the US national average in eGRID2023, which is about 771 lb per MWh. Check your own numbers with our carbon accounting team.
Unit check: 771 lb per MWh ÷ 2.2046 lb per kg ÷ 1,000 kWh per MWh ≈ 0.35 kg per kWh. All inputs are assumed and for illustration only.
Ask Why the Number Moved, and Get a Straight Answer
The Carbon & ESG Dashboard explains every change in emissions by its cause: more energy, more output, a different factor set or a new contract. Sustainability and operations teams look at the same figures.
Reporting Regimes and Where They Stand, October 2026
Several regimes ask for the same Scope 1 and 2 data, but their scope and timing have shifted a lot since 2025. The summary below reflects public sources as of October 2026. Thresholds and dates can change, so confirm your own obligations with legal advisers. Review which regimes apply to your group with our support team.
Intensity per Unit Shows Progress That Totals Hide
A plant that grows output will often see its total emissions rise even while every unit gets cleaner. Intensity metrics divide emissions by a unit that matters to the business, so progress shows up. Pick one intensity per site that matches what it makes, and report totals next to it. Choose the right intensity for each site in a metrics session.
Built for Limited Assurance From Day One
Limited assurance is a lighter review than a financial audit, but the assurer still needs to trace a reported figure back to its source. That means meter or invoice data, a stated factor, a calculation method and evidence that someone checked it. Gaps, estimates and manual corrections are fine if they are flagged and explained. Prepare for your first assurance with our ESG specialists.
Two ISO Standards Behind Credible Numbers
Neither standard is required by the regimes above, but both give structure that assurers recognise. ISO 50001 manages the energy that drives emissions. ISO 14064-1 sets out how an organisation quantifies and reports its GHG inventory, and ISO 14064-3 covers verification. Learn how the dashboard supports both in a standards walkthrough.
Fields Every Monthly Emissions Record Should Hold
Whether you use software or a spreadsheet, each site-month should carry the same fields. That consistency is what lets a group roll up 20 sites without rework. Ask our support team for a blank version.
How the Same Method Plays Out in Four Sectors
These are illustrations of typical patterns, not case studies or measured results. Talk through your own sector with our industry team.
Meter Connectors, ESG Dashboard and AI Server in One Package
iFactory delivers the Carbon & ESG Dashboard as a turnkey bundle. A pre-configured NVIDIA AI server ships racked and ready, with connectors for meters, historians and utility data and factor libraries pre-loaded, so plant data stays on site. You rack it, plug in power and Ethernet, and the AI is live. To scope it for your sites, request a turnkey quote.
- Pre-configured NVIDIA AI server, racked and ready
- Connectors for meters, SCADA, historians and invoices
- Emission factor library with version history
- Scope 1 and dual Scope 2 calculations
- Carbon intensity per unit for each site
- Monthly lock, review and sign-off workflow
- Export packs for CSRD, CDP and SB 253 data requests
Energy sources mapped to scopes, meters and invoices connected, factor sets agreed.
Past months recalculated and checked against your current workbook.
Dashboard live, review workflow running, teams trained.
Decarbonization Software That Starts at the Meter
The Carbon & ESG Dashboard is built for teams who need emissions figures they can defend, not just a chart. Our support team can plan a pilot.
What Plant and ESG Leaders Ask About Carbon Emissions Monitoring
Emissions Figures You Can Defend, Every Month
Connect your meters, apply versioned factors and report Scope 1 and both Scope 2 methods with a full evidence trail. The system is delivered turnkey and goes live in 6 to 12 weeks.
