An emission factor needs a version, a boundary and a reason

Record why an emission factor fits the activity before using it in a calculation. Keep the activity period, the year represented by the factor and the factor’s publication date in separate fields. A file released this year may describe an earlier grid, and a recent publication is not automatically the correct input for every inventory or customer request.

South Africa’s 2024 Grid Emission Factors Report was published for information on 11 September 2026 in Government Notice 7891. It distinguishes domestic generation, national generation, transmission-loss and distribution-loss factors. Those different boundaries are a practical reason to retain the factor’s definition, not merely its number. 1

Select a factor for an identified method and activity. Preserve its source, units, boundaries and data year. When replacing it, retain the earlier calculation and explain whether the change is a correction, a methodological update or new information.

Assign a stable factor ID and use that ID in the calculation file. Preserve a permitted source copy or a precise retrieval record under the source’s terms. A reviewer should be able to reconstruct which factor was used even if a website later replaces its download.

Do not combine factor types simply because they share units. First establish what each covers and where the relevant reporting method places the emissions. The South African notice’s distinct factor definitions do not justify adding every value to a Scope 2 total. Resolve methodological scope with a qualified reviewer. 1

Consider a team calculating emissions for a defined activity year while a newer official dataset becomes available. Its register should show the activity period, the dataset’s own year and when the dataset was issued. The selection note should explain the reporting method’s expectations and any limitation caused by the available data.

GHG Protocol’s published Scope 2 Guidance addresses location-based and market-based methods and the quality of contractual instruments. Its update consultation is a separate process. Do not silently replace the adopted method with a consultation proposal, and do not treat a grid-average factor as proof of a renewable electricity claim. 2

For arithmetic only, assume 100 MWh of activity and an invented factor of 0.70 tCO2e/MWh. The result is 70 tCO2e. A replacement invented factor of 0.72 produces 72 tCO2e for the same activity: a 2 tCO2e difference caused by the factor, not increased electricity use. Neither figure is a South African official factor.

The team retains calculation versions A and B, the reason for replacement and the reviewer’s decision about which version belongs in the report. It does not overwrite the old number without an explanation or describe the resulting change as an operational improvement. Whether earlier reported periods require revision depends on the applicable method and correction policy; this example does not decide that question.

For a group with South African and overseas operations, retain country and grid coverage for each factor. Differences in geography, dataset year and methodological boundary can make apparently comparable intensity figures misleading. Show those differences alongside the result rather than presenting a simple site ranking without context.

The activity quantity still needs its own evidence trail. Our guide to electricity evidence controls explains that discipline using MENA operations; the record-control principles can inform other teams, but the jurisdictions and factor choices must remain separate.

No. Choose the source and vintage that fit the applicable method, activity and reporting purpose, documenting any limitation or required update.

No. The worked values are invented. Retrieve the appropriate official source and have the selection and units reviewed.

Choose one material calculation and trace its factor ID back to the exact source, definition, units, data year and approval. Repair missing provenance before expanding the register.

AI assisted research and drafting. This article is general information; verify current requirements and obtain competent advice for consequential decisions.

1. South Africa Government Notice 7891, Gazette 55353 — 11 September 2026 publication of South Africa’s 2024 Grid Emission Factors Report, for information; page 1 distinguishes four factor types.

2. GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance — 2015 published guidance; site describes the 2025–2026 consultation separately. Consultation material is not treated as an adopted replacement.

This article is general information. Verify current requirements and seek qualified advice for your specific circumstances.

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