Coking Coal
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Coking coal has an emission factor of 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e per tonne combusted (NGA Factors 2025). Calculate Scope 1 steelmaking fuel emissions with examples.
Emission Factor Value
2,760.9 kg CO₂-e/tonne
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Estimated emissions
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Fuel combustion emissions are reported under Scope 1. Calculated as quantity × 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e per tonne (30 GJ/t × 92.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ, NGA Factors 2025 Table 4).
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 4 — Solid fuels and certain coal-based products, 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
Notes
Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 4: energy content 30 GJ/t × combined Scope 1 emission factor 92.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e per tonne. A separate Scope 3 upstream factor of 6.4 kg CO₂-e/GJ applies — the highest of the coals. 1 tonne combusted = 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e.
Calculation Example
If your facility combusted 250 tonnes of coking coal during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 250 t × 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e/t = 690,225 kg CO₂-e | 690.23 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1) |
Coking coal — metallurgical coal — is the backbone of steelmaking and one of Australia’s largest exports, but for domestic reporters the question is simpler: what happens to your Scope 1 inventory when you burn it. At 30 GJ per tonne it is the most energy-dense coal in the National Greenhouse Accounts, and its per-tonne emissions follow suit.
It also carries the largest upstream Scope 3 factor of any coal, thanks to fugitive methane from underground mining. Here is the 2025–26 combustion factor and how to apply it, with examples you can verify in a Scope 1 and 2 calculator.
Quick Verdict
Coking coal has a combined Scope 1 emission factor of 92.03 kg CO₂-e per gigajoule under the NGA Factors 2025. With an energy content of 30 GJ per tonne, each tonne combusted produces 2,760.90 kg of CO₂-equivalent. These emissions are reported under Scope 1 by the organisation operating the combustion equipment — typically steelworks, foundries and metallurgical processors. A separate upstream Scope 3 factor of 6.4 kg CO₂-e/GJ (192 kg CO₂-e per tonne) is the highest of the coals and is reported separately. Values come from Table 4, published by DCCEEW for the 2025–26 reporting year.
How to Calculate Coking Coal Emissions
Emissions (t CO₂-e) = Quantity (t) × Energy content (30 GJ/t) × Emission factor (92.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ) ÷ 1,000
Worked Example 1: Steelworks campaign of 100,000 tonnes
An integrated steelworks combusts 100,000 tonnes of coking coal across the year.
100,000 t × 30 GJ/t = 3,000,000 GJ of energy
3,000,000 GJ × 92.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 276,090,000 kg CO₂-e
276,090 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 2: Foundry burning 250 tonnes
A foundry burns 250 tonnes for melting operations. Using the per-tonne shortcut:
250 t × 2,760.90 kg CO₂-e/t = 690,225 kg CO₂-e
690.23 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 3: Energy-based records of 30,000 GJ
A site’s energy accounting shows 30,000 GJ of coking coal consumed.
30,000 GJ × 92.03 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 2,760,900 kg CO₂-e
2,760.9 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
How Coking Coal Compares to Other Solid Fuels
| Fuel | Energy content (GJ/t) | Scope 1 EF (kg CO₂-e/GJ) | kg CO₂-e per tonne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coking coal | 30 | 92.03 | 2,760.90 |
| Coal coke | 27 | 107.23 | 2,895.21 |
| Anthracite | 29 | 90.24 | 2,616.96 |
| Bituminous coal | 27 | 90.24 | 2,436.48 |
| Coal tar | 37.5 | 82.03 | 3,076.13 |
| Charcoal (biomass) | 31.1 | 6.3 | 195.93 |
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Metallurgical facilities almost invariably exceed NGER thresholds, so coking coal combustion must be reported to the Clean Energy Regulator using these factors. Under AASB S2, the same Scope 1 tonnes enter your climate disclosure, and the sizeable upstream component (6.4 kg CO₂-e/GJ) should be captured in your Scope 3 inventory.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
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.