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

Renewable Diesel (HVO)

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

Renewable diesel emits just 0.0197 kg CO₂-e per litre in vehicles (NGA Factors 2025) — over 99% below diesel. Worked examples, calculator and NGER guidance.

Emission Factor Value

0.0197 kg CO₂-e/litre

Try it with your own numbers

Renewable diesel consumed (transport use) Unit

Estimated emissions

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Renewable diesel combusted in vehicles you own or control is Scope 1. Calculated as litres × 0.0197 kg CO₂-e/L (NGA Factors 2025, Table 9, cars and light commercial vehicles).

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 38.6 GJ/kL × combined Scope 1 emission factor 0.51 kg CO₂-e/GJ (CO₂ zero-rated as biogenic; 0.01 CH₄ + 0.5 N₂O) = 19.69 kg CO₂-e/kL, i.e. 0.0197 kg CO₂-e per litre. For stationary use, Table 8 lists renewable diesel at 0.3 kg CO₂-e/GJ and 38.6 GJ/t (11.58 kg CO₂-e per tonne). No upstream Scope 3 factor is published for renewable diesel in the NGA Factors 2025.

Calculation Example

If your fleet consumed 50,000 litres of renewable diesel during the year:

Working	Result
50,000 L × 0.0197 kg CO₂-e/L = 985 kg CO₂-e	0.99 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Renewable diesel — HVO — is the drop-in decarbonisation option for diesel fleets: chemically near-identical to fossil diesel, usable at 100% in most engines, but with the combustion CO₂ zero-rated as biogenic. What remains in Scope 1 is a factor more than 99% below the fossil fuel it replaces.

The values below come from the NGA Factors 2025 and apply to the 2025–26 reporting year. A Scope 1 and 2 calculator can model the before-and-after of a fleet switch in minutes.

Quick Verdict

Renewable diesel used in cars and light commercial vehicles emits 0.0197 kg CO₂-e per litre, reported under Scope 1 — against 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L for fossil diesel, a 99.3% reduction per litre. The factor comes from Table 9 of the NGA Factors 2025: energy content 38.6 GJ/kL (identical to diesel) × 0.51 kg CO₂-e/GJ, with the biogenic CO₂ zero-rated and only CH₄ and N₂O counted. Stationary use is listed in Table 8 at 0.3 kg CO₂-e/GJ on a mass basis (11.58 kg CO₂-e/t). No upstream Scope 3 factor is published.

How to Calculate Renewable Diesel Emissions

Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Litres of renewable diesel × 0.0197 (transport use)

Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = kL × 38.6 GJ/kL × 0.51 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.

Worked Example 1: Fleet Trial

A utility trials HVO in 20 vehicles, consuming 10,000 litres.

10,000 L × 0.0197 = 197 kg CO₂-e

0.20 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

The same 10,000 litres of fossil diesel would emit 10,000 × 2.7178 = 27,178 kg — 27.18 tonnes CO₂-e — so the trial avoids about 27 tonnes.

Worked Example 2: Delivery Fleet

A delivery fleet runs entirely on renewable diesel, consuming 50,000 litres.

50,000 L × 0.0197 = 985 kg CO₂-e

0.99 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 3: Large Fleet

A logistics operator switches 250,000 litres of annual diesel use to HVO.

250,000 L × 0.0197 = 4,925 kg CO₂-e

4.93 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

How Renewable Diesel 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 diesel (HVO)	0.0197
Ethanol	0.0094

All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 9.

NGER and AASB S2 Reporting

Renewable diesel is reportable energy use under the NGER scheme: biogenic CO₂ is reported separately for information while CH₄ and N₂O count as Scope 1. Under AASB S2, the reduced Scope 1 figure and the switch itself belong in your climate statement and transition plan — an activity-based emissions calculator keeps fossil and renewable volumes cleanly separated.

Diesel (Transport)

2.7178 kg CO₂-e/litre

Biodiesel

0.0865 kg CO₂-e/litre

Renewable Aviation Kerosene

0.0224 kg CO₂-e/litre

Diesel (Stationary)

2.7097 kg CO₂-e/litre

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emission factor for renewable diesel in Australia?

Renewable diesel used in cars and light commercial vehicles emits 0.0197 kg CO₂-e per litre under the NGA Factors 2025 — derived from an energy content of 38.6 GJ/kL and a combined factor of 0.51 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 9. That is over 99% below fossil diesel at 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L.

What is renewable diesel and how is it different from biodiesel?

Renewable diesel (often called HVO — hydrotreated vegetable oil) is chemically near-identical to fossil diesel, made by hydrotreating fats and oils. Unlike biodiesel (FAME), it is a drop-in fuel with the same 38.6 GJ/kL energy content as diesel, no blend limits and no cold-weather or storage issues.

Why is the renewable diesel factor so low?

Because the CO₂ released on combustion is biogenic — the carbon was recently absorbed from the atmosphere by the feedstock — so it is zero-rated. Only the methane and nitrous oxide from the engine (0.01 and 0.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ) count toward Scope 1.

Can I use renewable diesel in existing diesel vehicles and equipment?

Generally yes — HVO meets conventional diesel standards and most engine manufacturers approve 100% use without modification. That makes it one of the fastest Scope 1 reductions available for diesel fleets, subject to supply and price.

Which scope does renewable diesel fall under?

Renewable diesel burned in vehicles or equipment your organisation owns or controls is Scope 1 — CH₄ and N₂O only, with biogenic CO₂ reported separately. Feedstock cultivation and processing emissions would be Scope 3, and the NGA Factors publish no default for them.

Is there a different factor for stationary renewable diesel use?

Yes. Table 8 lists renewable diesel for stationary purposes at 0.3 kg CO₂-e/GJ on a mass basis of 38.6 GJ/t, giving 11.58 kg CO₂-e per tonne. Classify vehicle use against Table 9 and stationary plant against Table 8.

How do I account for renewable diesel blends?

Split by volume, as with biodiesel: the renewable share takes 0.0197 kg CO₂-e/L and the fossil share takes the standard diesel factor of 2.7178 kg CO₂-e/L for cars and light commercial vehicles. Supplier documentation should evidence the renewable percentage.

Do I report renewable diesel under NGER and AASB S2?

Yes. Renewable diesel is reportable energy use under NGER, with biogenic CO₂ shown separately from the counted CH₄ and N₂O. Under AASB S2, the reduced Scope 1 figure flows into your climate statement, and the fuel switch is a strong transition-plan disclosure.

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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