More Carbon Lunacy

A business I am involved in has assessed its carbon footprint, according to the Ministry for the Environment's protocols. Reluctant soldiers for the warmists.

The analysis (draft) has been presented: The two biggest emissions sources are Direct emissions - so called Scope 1 under the GHG protocol:
Direct emissions (Scope 1): Are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the company. This is clear - no worries there. We use lots of diesel providing customers with service.

and

Indirect emissions (Scope 2): Are emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the company.

Well, with considerable forethought the company buys its electricity from a carbon neutral source....Meridian. Sweet.

Imagine my surprise to see this business has a net emission of 6,900 tonnes per annum of CO2 for (scope 2) electricity. The business uses a lot of electricity keeping its export customers products cool.

Why? I said. Our supplier is carbon neutral.

Well, here is the kicker. There is a standard emission factor in the GHG protocol for purchased electricity (and all the other factors) - the assessor just takes the electricity consumed and multiplies by the appropriate emission factor

(you simply read it at the Ministry for the Environment protocol)

See Table 4:
Emission factor for the consumption of purchased electricity – 2006
Emission source Unit Emission factor total CO2-e(kg CO2-e/unit)
Purchased electricity kWh 0.209

It's too bad that we use Meridian. We get no credit.

How stuffed is that?