# What emission factor should we use for kerosene?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/kerosene-emission-factor-per-litre

Use the IPCC 2006 default for other kerosene: 71,900 kg CO2 per TJ at a net calorific value of 43.8 TJ per thousand tonnes, about 3.15 kg CO2 per kg. At a density near 0.8 kg per litre that is roughly 2.5 kg CO2 per litre; use your supplier's density if stated.

## Where it shows up

- Space heaters and lamps at remote sites.
- Parts cleaning, if it is burned afterwards.
- Small furnaces in some crafts.

## Scope

Kerosene burned in your equipment is Scope 1. Kerosene used only as a cleaning solvent and not burned is not combustion; see the solvent page.

## Illustrative calculation

- 200 litres of kerosene.
- 200 × 0.8 = 160 kg.
- 160 × 3.15 = 504 kg CO2.

Illustrative quantity.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and diesel, LPG and gas invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a dated, fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record for each site, and labels estimates as estimates.

- [Diesel or kerosene as solvent](https://senseible.earth/answers/diesel-or-kerosene-as-cleaning-solvent)
- [LDO and LSHS factors](https://senseible.earth/answers/ldo-and-lshs-emission-factor)
- [HSN codes for fuels](https://senseible.earth/answers/hsn-codes-for-fuels-scope-1)

Sources: [IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults)](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol2.html), [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard)

Last reviewed 2026-10-23.