# Does an MVR evaporator cut emissions compared with a steam evaporator?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/mvr-evaporator-vs-steam-evaporator-co2

It replaces most of the steam with electricity: a compressor reuses the evaporated vapour as the heating medium. Scope 1 falls and Scope 2 rises. With India's grid at 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, check the net change with your own steam and power figures before claiming a cut.

## What changes

- Live steam to the evaporator drops sharply.
- Compressor electricity is added.
- Cooling water demand usually falls.

## Net effect

Net change = steam saved multiplied by the CO2 per tonne of steam, minus extra kWh multiplied by 0.710. Rooftop or contracted renewable power improves the market-based Scope 2 result.

## Worked example (illustrative)

- Steam saved: 10 t a day at an illustrative 0.25 t CO2 per t of steam = 2.5 t CO2
- Extra electricity: 1,500 kWh a day x 0.710 = 1,065 kg, about 1.07 t CO2
- Net: 2.5 minus 1.07 = about 1.4 t CO2 a day lower

Illustrative quantities only. Use your own steam factor and meter readings.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads fuel invoices and electricity bills and applies IPCC 2006 factors and the CEA grid factor (0.710 kg CO2 per kWh), so you can compare Scope 1 and 2 before and after a change from the documents themselves.

- [Multiple effect evaporator](https://senseible.earth/answers/multiple-effect-evaporator-steam-emissions)
- [ZLD plant energy](https://senseible.earth/answers/zld-plant-energy-and-carbon-per-kl)
- [CO2 per tonne of steam](https://senseible.earth/answers/co2-per-tonne-of-steam)

Sources: [2006 IPCC Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol2.html), [CEA CO2 Baseline Database for the Indian Power Sector](https://cea.nic.in/cdm-co2-baseline-database/?lang=en), [GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance](https://ghgprotocol.org/scope-2-guidance)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.