How much CO2 does a solar dryer save in agro processing?

Whatever fuel or electricity it replaces, times that fuel's emission factor. If a solar dryer replaces 1,000 litres of diesel a year, it saves about 2.7 tonnes of CO2. Measure the fuel used before and after so the saving can be shown.

Work it out

1. Record fuel or electricity used for drying before the change.
2. Record what is still used after, for backup or finishing.
3. Multiply the difference by the factor: 2.68 kg CO2 per litre of diesel, 0.710 kg per kWh of grid power.

Example

Illustrative only: a unit using 1,000 litres of diesel a year that cuts this to 0 saves 1,000 times 2.68, about 2.7 tonnes of CO2. Replace with your own records.

Do not overclaim

Solar dryers often need backup heat in monsoon months. Count only the fuel actually avoided, month by month.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads fuel, electricity and production documents into dated, fingerprinted plant records, so the monthly intensity behind a figure can be traced to its source.

• Grain dryer emissions per tonne
• Proving energy savings to a lender
• DG set vs grid emissions

Sources: IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy, CEA CO2 Baseline Database, GHG Protocol Corporate Standard

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.