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Configuring Market-Based Emission Factors

Configuring Market-Based Emission Factors

Step-by-step instructions for setting up market-based emissions accounting in Scaler. Covers how to create energy supplier regions, configure suppliers and emission factors, and link them to assets and meters. Designed to help users correctly apply supplier-specific contract emissions under the GHG Protocol.

Last updated on December 2, 2025

Configuring market-based emission factors

Market-based emission factors allow Scaler to calculate GHG emissions using supplier-specific contractual instruments, such as renewable energy tariffs, PPAs, EACs, or supplier emissions declarations.

This article explains how to set up market-based accounting, create supplier regions and suppliers, enter emission factors, and link them to assets and meters.

Overview of the workflow

To configure market-based emission factors, complete the steps below in order:

  1. Ensure meters are set up correctly
  1. Enable market-based accounting
  1. Create energy supplier regions
  1. Add suppliers to each region
  1. Add subcategory + source combinations (e.g., electricity | green)
  1. Enter emission factor values and references
  1. Link assets to an energy supplier region
  1. Link meters to a supplier

1. Ensure meters are set up

Before beginning configuration:

  • Meters must exist at the asset level

      • Data Collection Portal → Asset → Meters & Consumption

Each meter must have:

  • subcategory
  • source
  • percentage green (if applicable)
The subcategory + source combination must match the combinations you configure later in the Market-based emission factor tool.

2. Enable market-based emissions accounting

  1. Go to

      2. Data Collection Portal → Portfolio → Emission factors

  1. Select the tab Market-based emissions accounting
  1. Enable the toggle

This unlocks the configuration table.

3. Create energy supplier regions

Energy supplier regions define where supplier contracts apply.

Regions can be:

  • A country (e.g., Netherlands)
  • A state or subregion (e.g., New York)
  • A city
  • Any grouping that aligns with how your suppliers operate, and where a subcategory + source combination has a unique emission factor.

To add a region:

  1. Click Add Energy supplier region ( + )
  1. Enter a region name
  1. Save

These values appear in the energy supplier region field later assigned to each asset.

Notion image

4. Add suppliers to each region

For every energy supplier used in that region:

  1. Click Add Supplier ( + )
  1. Enter the supplier name

Examples:

  • Con Edison
  • Engie
  • Centrica
  • Constellation

If multiple suppliers contract energy within the same region, all must be added.

5. Add subcategory + source combinations

For each supplier, define all energy types for which supplier-specific emission factors will be used.

Examples:

  • Electricity → green
  • Electricity → grey
  • Electricity → mix green/grey

Steps:

  1. Under each supplier, click Add Subcategory + source ( + )
  1. Select from the dropdown
  1. A new row appears where you will enter emissions values

These combinations must exactly match the meters they apply to.

6. Enter emission factor values and references

For each row, complete:

Reference

Describe the contractual instrument used, e.g.:

  • “PPA 2025–2027”
  • “Supplier emissions declaration 2024”
  • “Green tariff – 100% EAC-backed”

Emission factor values (kg CO₂e per kWh)

  • Enter factors for the years where supplier-specific factors exist
  • You do not need to enter values for all years
  • Units must be kg CO₂e per kWh

Important rule — EF must apply to 100% of consumption

If a meter is:

  • 60% green
  • 40% grey

The supplier EF must represent the blended contractual emissions rate for all consumption.

Supplier-provided factors already account for the meter’s mix, so Scaler applies the EF to 100% of usage.

7. Link assets to an energy supplier region

At the asset level:

  1. Go to

      2. Data Collection Portal → Asset → Overview → Edit

  1. In Asset details → Location, find Energy supplier region
  1. Select one of the regions created earlier
  1. Save

This determines which suppliers appear for meters in that asset.

Notion image

8. Link meters to suppliers

Next, link the supplier to each relevant meter:

  1. Go to the asset
  1. Open Meters & Consumption
  1. Click a meter to open details
  1. Find the field Supplier
  1. Select the correct supplier
  1. Confirm the meter’s subcategory + source matches the EF Tool configuration

Once linked:

  • If a supplier EF is available for a given year → Scaler uses it
  • If not → Scaler falls back to location-based factors
      • Notion image

Using the Scaler Spreadsheet for bulk updates

Spreadsheet naming must match the tool exactly:

  • Energy supplier region (Asset Details tab)
  • Supplier (Meters tab)

If the spelling does not match exactly:

  • The field will not populate
  • The upload will fail

Check spacing, capitalization, and punctuation carefully.

How Scaler applies market-based emission factors

Scaler follows the GHG Protocol Scope 2 hierarchy:

When a market-based factor is used

A supplier EF is applied when:

  • the asset has an energy supplier region,
  • the meter has a linked supplier, and
  • an EF value exists for the meter’s subcategory + source and year.

When Scaler falls back to location-based factors

Fallback occurs when:

  • no supplier EF exists for that year
  • the meter is not assigned to a supplier
  • the asset has no energy supplier region

This ensures reporting accuracy and alignment with GHG Protocol rules.

GHG Protocol resources for market-based method
 
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