CARBONCLOUD'S SUPPLY CHAIN MODEL
Calculating GHG emissions from transportation
Several factors beyond the climate footprint per megajoule (MJ) of fuel influence emissions from transport, e.g. type of vehicle, capacity utilization, empty returns, etc. CarbonCloud measures emissions from transportation by applying the relevant emissions from fuels to these different parameters. In addition, as outlined in the Fuels section, CarbonCloud includes emissions from the production and distribution of the fuel, otherwise known as the Fuel- and Energy-related activities category in Scope 3. Below we present how emissions from transportation are synthesized and calculated in CarbonCloud’s supply chain model in all types of vehicles.
Vehicle types
Vehicles
CarbonCloud accounts for the following types of vehicles per the user’s selections and adds relevant parameters with a climate impact and their respective energy sources.
Read more about CarbonCloud’s energy calculations →
Semi-trailer
Energy used: Diesel or electricity
Semitrailer transport is calculated with constant energy intensity per kilometer. Diesel fuel is assumed as a default. If the semitrailer is refrigerated, 30% additional fuel/electricity use is added. The emissions that result from the total distance of the trip are then allocated to the load of the semitrailer. This is determined by capacity utilization: Trucks may transport different products at the same time with different pick-up and drop-off destinations. In addition, they may often return with an empty load. This means that the capacity utilization is rarely 100% from start to finish.
Distribution truck
Energy used: Diesel or electricity
Distribution truck transport is calculated with constant energy intensity per kilometer. Diesel fuel is assumed as a default. If the distribution truck is refrigerated, 30% additional fuel/electricity use is added. The emissions that result from the total distance of the trip are then allocated to the total load of the distribution truck.
This is determined by capacity utilization: Trucks may transport different products at the same time with different pick-up and drop-off destinations. Some goods are bulky (low-density), which means that the full-weight capacity of the truck cannot be utilized. In addition, they may often return with an empty load. This means that the capacity utilization is rarely 100% from start to finish.
Train
Energy used: Diesel or electricity
Emissions from rail transportation, either from diesel or electricity are calculated with constant energy intensity per tonne of cargo per kilometer. The energy intensity per tonne of cargo depends on the way of transportation: In bulk or in a container. This impacts the cargo load and consequently the emissions per tonne of goods transported. For refrigerated transport, a 1.4 factor for additional fuel/electricity is applied.
To account for how the train load affects emissions, CarbonCloud factors empty positioning: the portion of the distance the train runs empty due to planned unbalances in the cargo flow, e.g. 50%. The emissions from transportation for the calculated product are then allocated according to the weight of the product.
Ship
Energy used: Heavy fuel oil
Emissions from shipping using heavy fuel oil are calculated with constant energy intensity per tonne per kilometer as provided by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The emissions depend on the energy efficiency of the type of ship (regional, ocean, or ocean large), as well as the way of transport, in bulk or in a container. For refrigerated transport, a 1.4 factor for additional fuel/electricity is applied.
Emissions are then allocated to the studied product per chargeable weight dictated by pallet density. Chargeable weight is a ubiquitous measure in logistics to calculate whether the shipment will be charged based on its volume or its weight – whichever is larger.
Plane
Energy used: Kerosene
Emissions from air freight using kerosene include not just CO2 but also nitrogen oxides (NOx) and water vapor which has a greenhouse effect.
The distance of the flight determines the size of the plane, which is automatically selected in CarbonCloud based on the distance.
In addition, emissions from aviation are also determined by altitude. All flights have a higher fuel consumption per kilometer during landing and take-off and more nitrogen oxide emissions per kilometer in high altitude/cruising mode. This affects the distribution of emissions per kilometer, which CarbonCloud accounts for.
The capacity of the plane is another factor for air freight emissions. Firstly, whether the transport is carried out by cargo or passenger plane influences the weight capacity and the volume capacity, as well as the capacity utilization and the pallet density that determines how much weight of cargo the plane can carry.
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