Calculate the CO2 emissions reduction from your lighting upgrade. See the impact in tonnes of CO2, trees planted, car miles avoided, and more – based on your country’s grid emissions factor.
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The carbon emissions from lighting come from the electricity it uses. Multiply the energy used in kilowatt hours by the emissions factor of the grid, in kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour. Grid factors vary widely, from very low in places with lots of hydro or nuclear power to high where coal dominates, and the calculator lets you use the figure for your country or region.
A lighting upgrade that saves 10,000 kilowatt hours a year on a grid at 0.4 kilograms per kilowatt hour avoids about 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. The equivalents shown, such as trees planted or car miles avoided, are only rough comparisons to help picture the number, and different sources use different assumptions.
Remember that the grid is changing, so the emissions factor for the same electricity usually falls over time, and the figures show the benefit based on the current mix. A full picture would also include the emissions from making and disposing of the new fixtures, but for lighting the energy used during operation is normally the largest part.