Using the Hedgehog Carbon Platform to calculate emissions
After you’ve collected all your data, it’s time to translate the data into GHG emissions. Depending on the country you’re located and the audience you’re reporting for, you choose the GHG emission databases. These databases contain references of CO2-emissions per unit of fuel or activity.
In the GHG-protocol, emissions are calculated as following:
CO2 emission of source = your data input x CO2 emissions database reference
In the free version of the Hedgehog Carbon Platform you can start to asess your carbon footprint with a small selection of emissions sources in scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 ‘business travel’.
The premium version of the platform lets you continue with your free version data inputs and unlocks all available emission references in the ‘premium categories’. These consist of all available references in either the UK Defra, US EPA, or the Dutch CO2-emissiefactoren databases.
And then there is the Custom version. Access a tailor-made environment fully aligned with your company’s emission sources. Combine activity-based, spend-based, market-based, and location-based data.Get expert guidance through our software-supported consultancy for optimizing sustainability data for carbon strategy and CSRD efforts.
Video: how to use the dashboard
How-to get started: step by step
Create your Hedgehog Carbon Platform account
First, we get set with your Hedgehog Carbon Platform account.
- Go to https://dashboard.hhc.earth/
- Click ‘create an account’
- Follow the steps.
- Choose the right database. We’ve added the Dutch and the UK emissions sources as free databases. Select the most applicable.
- Decide whether you want to monitor your GHG emissions per month or per year. Per month will facilitate your efficiency since it will be a better part of your routines and it will give you far more detailed insights in your organisation’s emissions.
- Log in to your account.
Please note that our system is passwordless. When logging in with an e-mail address, you must enter your mailbox to copy your login code. - You are now in the start screen, see figure on the right. The guided tour should start automatically. If not, please press the green help button in the right corner.
SCOPE 1
Now it’s time to fill in your first data. In the navigation menu on the left, switch to ‘manage data’.
Click on the small arrows to access the dropdown menu.
This is the list with the pre-determined emissions sources in scope 1, which you can access in the Hedgehog Carbon Dashboard.
- You can click on the question marks to find more information on the emission source.
- Fill in your gathered data with the corresponding unit. I.e. when kWh are requested, make sure you fill in kWh. Please note that this is the most common made error.
- You can check and change your database in settings. Standard databases are Dutch and UK databases. Choose UK for international references. If you need an additional database from another country, please get in touch with our team.
SCOPE 2
When ready with scope 1, you can continue with filling in scope 2 and scope 3 data. You can find the button to switch between scopes in the top menu.
In scope 2 you can find electric vehicles, while vehicles with combustion engines are in scope 1 and scope 3. This is because the emissions of electricity production occur at scope 2, the power plant.
Pay attention that you fill in your collected data with the same units as requested. I.e. when kWh are requested, make sure you fill in kWh.
If you do not have information if the purchased electricity is green, according to the GHG protocol you must take the average mix of electricity.
SCOPE 3
In scope 3, not all impact categories are unlocked in the free version. If you wish to use the locked categories, get in touch with our team by clicking ‘PLAN A CONSULT’ in the left menu in the Hedgehog Carbon Dashboard.
The Hedgehog Carbon Dashboard differs from other carbon accounting tools because it allows you to include activity-based data in your scope 3 emissions. Activity-based data gives you more insights on your actual emissions, instead of rougher estimations with spend-based analysis.
In the premium version, your Hedgehog team of experts builds a database of emission factor and embedded emissions that are the actual emissions of your organisation and your supply-chain.
Other carbon dashboard use spend-based analysis. With this, they assess your impact based on your money spent and multiply these with country-sector datasets. This does not give your impact, but rather your share based on the average impact of that sector in that country. Meaning, the outcome is less precise and not suitable for carbon reduction strategies.
Verify the data
Double-check all your data inputs with your raw data.
Ideally, let a colleague do the data control check.
Always.
