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Liquid Fuels Scope 1 (Direct — fuel combustion, CH₄ and N₂O only)

Biodiesel (B100)

Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026

Biodiesel used in vehicles emits just 0.0865 kg CO₂-e per litre (NGA Factors 2025) — 97% below diesel. Worked examples, calculator and NGER guidance.

Emission Factor Value

0.0865 kg CO₂-e/litre

Try it with your own numbers

Estimated emissions

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Biodiesel combusted in vehicles you own or control is Scope 1. Calculated as litres × 0.0865 kg CO₂-e/L (NGA Factors 2025, Table 9, cars and light commercial vehicles). Stationary use takes 0.0097 kg CO₂-e/L (Table 8).

Official Source & Citation

This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 9 — Transport fuels (cars and light commercial vehicles); Table 8 for stationary use, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025

View official publication ↗

Notes

Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 9 (cars and light commercial vehicles): energy content 34.6 GJ/kL × combined Scope 1 emission factor 2.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ (CO₂ zero-rated as biogenic; 0.8 CH₄ + 1.7 N₂O) = 86.5 kg CO₂-e/kL, i.e. 0.0865 kg CO₂-e per litre. For stationary use, Table 8 gives 0.28 kg CO₂-e/GJ (9.688 kg CO₂-e/kL, or 0.0097 kg/L). No upstream Scope 3 factor is published for biodiesel in the NGA Factors 2025.

Calculation Example

If your delivery fleet consumed 20,000 litres of B100 biodiesel during the year:

Working Result
20,000 L × 0.0865 kg CO₂-e/L = 1,730 kg CO₂-e 1.73 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Biodiesel is one of the few fuel switches that transforms a fleet’s carbon numbers overnight. Because the CO₂ from burning it is biogenic — recently absorbed from the atmosphere by canola, tallow or used cooking oil feedstocks — national accounting zero-rates it, leaving only the small methane and nitrous oxide components in Scope 1.

The values below come from the NGA Factors 2025 and apply to the 2025–26 reporting year. A Scope 1 and 2 calculator can handle blend splits and factor selection automatically.

Quick Verdict

Biodiesel (B100) used in cars and light commercial vehicles emits 0.0865 kg CO₂-e per litre, reported under Scope 1 — about 97% below fossil diesel at 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L. The factor comes from Table 9 of the NGA Factors 2025: energy content 34.6 GJ/kL × 2.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ, where the CO₂ is zero-rated as biogenic and only CH₄ (0.8) and N₂O (1.7 kg CO₂-e/GJ) count. Stationary use takes the lower Table 8 factor of 0.28 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.0097 kg/L). Blends are split by volume between the biodiesel and diesel factors.

How to Calculate Biodiesel Emissions

Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Litres of biodiesel × 0.0865 (transport use)

Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = kL × 34.6 GJ/kL × 2.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.

Worked Example 1: Ute Fleet Trial

A council trials B100 in part of its fleet, consuming 5,000 litres.

5,000 L × 0.0865 = 432.5 kg CO₂-e

0.43 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 2: Delivery Fleet

A courier company runs its vans on 20,000 litres of biodiesel for the year.

20,000 L × 0.0865 = 1,730 kg CO₂-e

1.73 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

The same 20,000 litres of fossil diesel would emit 20,000 × 2.7178 = 54,356 kg — 54.36 tonnes CO₂-e — so the switch avoids about 52.6 tonnes.

Worked Example 3: Large Fleet

A logistics operator consumes 100,000 litres of B100 across its light commercial fleet.

100,000 L × 0.0865 = 8,650 kg CO₂-e

8.65 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

How Biodiesel Compares to Other Transport Fuels

Fuel (cars & LCVs)Scope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/L)
Diesel (transport)2.7178
Petrol (transport)2.3126
LPG (transport)1.5982
Biodiesel (B100)0.0865
Renewable diesel0.0197
Ethanol0.0094

All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 9.

NGER and AASB S2 Reporting

Biodiesel is reportable energy use under the NGER scheme: the biogenic CO₂ is reported separately for information, while the CH₄ and N₂O count as Scope 1. Under AASB S2, the reduced Scope 1 figure flows into your climate statement, and fleet fuel switching is a common transition-plan disclosure — an activity-based emissions calculator keeps blend ratios and factors straight across the year.

Related Emission Factors

Diesel (Transport)

2.7178 kg CO₂-e/litre

Renewable Diesel

0.0197 kg CO₂-e/litre

Ethanol

0.0094 kg CO₂-e/litre

Diesel (Stationary)

2.7097 kg CO₂-e/litre

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emission factor for biodiesel in Australia?
Biodiesel used in cars and light commercial vehicles emits 0.0865 kg CO₂-e per litre under the NGA Factors 2025 — derived from an energy content of 34.6 GJ/kL and a combined factor of 2.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 9. That is about 97% below fossil diesel at 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L.
Why is the biodiesel factor so low?
Because the CO₂ released when biodiesel burns is biogenic — the carbon was recently absorbed from the atmosphere by the feedstock crops — so it is zero-rated under national accounting rules. Only the methane and nitrous oxide from combustion (0.8 and 1.7 kg CO₂-e/GJ respectively) count toward Scope 1.
Which scope does biodiesel combustion fall under?
Biodiesel burned in vehicles or equipment your organisation owns or controls is Scope 1 (direct emissions) — but only the CH₄ and N₂O components. If you want to reflect emissions from growing and processing the feedstock, that is a Scope 3 exercise for which the NGA Factors publish no default.
How do I account for biodiesel blends like B5 or B20?
Split the blend by volume. In a B20 blend, 20% of the litres take the biodiesel factor (0.0865 kg CO₂-e/L) and 80% take the diesel factor (2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L for cars and light commercial vehicles). Fuel supplier documentation should state the blend ratio.
Is the factor different for stationary biodiesel use?
Yes. Table 8 gives stationary biodiesel a combined factor of 0.28 kg CO₂-e/GJ — 9.688 kg CO₂-e per kilolitre, or roughly 0.0097 kg per litre — because stationary combustion produces less CH₄ and N₂O than engine use. Classify the use before picking the factor.
Does switching to biodiesel really cut reported emissions by 97%?
For Scope 1 reporting purposes, yes: 0.0865 versus 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L is a 96.8% reduction per litre. The full climate benefit depends on feedstock and land-use effects, which sit outside the NGA combustion factors — worth understanding before making public claims.
How do I convert litres of biodiesel to gigajoules?
Biodiesel has an energy content of 34.6 GJ per kilolitre — about 10% less than diesel's 38.6 — so 1,000 litres equals 34.6 GJ. NGER reporting works in energy terms, and 34.6 GJ/kL × 2.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ gives 86.5 kg CO₂-e per kilolitre.
Do I report biodiesel under NGER and AASB S2?
Yes. Biodiesel consumption is reportable energy use under NGER, with the biogenic CO₂ reported separately from the counted CH₄ and N₂O. Under AASB S2, the Scope 1 emissions appear in your climate statement, and the fuel switch itself is often disclosed as a transition-plan action.

Disclaimer

This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.

  • Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
  • NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.
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