# Do we include our R&D pilot plant in our carbon inventory?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/r-and-d-pilot-plant-emissions-in-inventory

Yes, if it sits inside your boundary and you control it. Pilot plants, test rigs and labs use fuel and electricity like any unit. Being non-commercial is not a reason to leave them out. You can show them as a separate line so buyers see production emissions on their own.

## How to capture it

- Sub-meter the pilot plant, or apportion from the site bill by connected load and hours.
- Record fuels and gases used in trials.
- Note trial batches, so product footprints can leave them out if they are not sold.

## When exclusion is acceptable

Only if it is below your stated exclusion threshold, and you list it as excluded with the reason.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads bills, fuel invoices and production records into dated, fingerprinted records, so the figure you send a buyer can be traced to its documents.

- [Excluded emission sources list](https://senseible.earth/answers/verifier-asks-list-of-excluded-emission-sources)
- [Exclusion threshold](https://senseible.earth/answers/carbon-footprint-exclusion-threshold)

Sources: [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard), [GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-value-chain-scope-3-standard)

Last reviewed 2026-10-23.