Our coal test report shows as-received and air-dried values. Which do we use for emissions?
Use the basis that matches the weight you are multiplying. Coal is usually weighed as received, wet, so pair that weight with the as-received calorific value or carbon content. Pairing a wet weight with an air-dried value overstates emissions, because the air-dried figure assumes less water per tonne.
The bases on a report
- As received: the coal as delivered, with all its moisture.
- Air dried: after surface moisture has evaporated in the lab.
- Dry or dry ash free: with no moisture at all.
Converting between them
Lab reports often give the moisture for each basis. A value can be converted using the ratio (100 minus moisture on the target basis) divided by (100 minus moisture on the reported basis).
What a verifier checks
That the weight and the calorific value are on the same basis, and that the test report covers the same deliveries as the invoices.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads fuel invoices, gas bills and delivery documents into dated, fingerprinted records, so each tonne of CO2 traces back to the document behind it.
Sources: IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy, IPCC 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, GHG Protocol Corporate Standard
Last reviewed 2026-10-22.