How much CO2 does silicon carbide production emit per tonne?
Two parts: process CO2 from the petroleum coke that reduces the silica, for which IPCC 2006 gives a default of about 2.62 t CO2 per tonne of silicon carbide, and the large electricity use of the Acheson furnace at 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh.
Process CO2
- Silica sand and petroleum coke react in the furnace; the carbon leaves as CO that burns to CO2.
- Measure coke input and its carbon content for a plant figure; use the IPCC default only if you have nothing better.
Electricity
Each furnace run draws power for hours. Use the furnace meter per batch and divide by tonnes of crude silicon carbide recovered.
CBAM
Silicon carbide is not a CBAM good. EU buyers may still ask for a figure for their own Scope 3.
Worked example (illustrative figures)
- Output: 1,000 tonnes of silicon carbide in a year.
- Process CO2 at the IPCC default: 1,000 × 2.62 = 2,620 t CO2.
- Furnace electricity is added on top from the meter.
What Senseible does here
Senseible reads the plant's electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and fuel invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record, the plant-level input to a per-unit figure. Bought-in materials go to the supplier evidence trail; product reports are self-declared drafts.
Sources: IPCC 2006 Guidelines, CEA CO2 Baseline Database, CBAM Regulation (EU) 2023/956, consolidated
Last reviewed 2026-10-22.