Greenhouse gas emissions calculators are available online from a number of organizations. The following external links do not imply any official endorsement on our part. CO2 Science does not accept any responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at those locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The interactive calculators listed below vary greatly in complexity, scope, and intent. Their purpose is to help estimate the greenhouse gas emissions of human activities, convert carbon emissions to equivalent units, and identify and compare emissions reduction options, mostly for non-reporting purposes. For official reporting, we recommend following the protocol set forth in the U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program.
These calculators translate greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions into equivalent units (e.g., number of cars taken off the road).
- Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator - U.S. CTC Gateway: Translates greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from units that are typically used to report reductions (e.g., metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) into terms that are easier to conceptualize (e.g., equivalent number of cars not driven for one year).
- Climate Change Calculator - American Forests: Calculates tons of carbon dioxide emitted by your household this year, and number of trees that would need to be planted to offset those emissions.
These calculators estimate the greenhouse gas emissions from your daily activities and learn about opportunities to save energy and money.
- Add Up Your Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Determine average annual CO2 emissions by filling out a questionnaire. Results tabulate pounds of CO2 produced for each daily activity compared to U.S. average annual emissions.
- SafeClimate Carbon Dioxide Footprint Calculator: SafeClimate's calculator allows individuals in the U.S., Canada and 36 other countries to calculate their "carbon footprint" and track their residential and transportation energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Users can choose to save their results and track their emissions over time.
- EPA's Personal Online Greenhouse Gas Calculator
- EPA's Personal Hand-held Wheel Card Greenhouse Gas Calculator
Homes and Businesses
These calculators estimate emissions and identify energy savings opportunities in residential and commerical buildings.
- Business Energy Analyzer: The Business Energy Analzyer is designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of energy use in your business along with customized energy efficiency improvement recommendations. The calculator prepares a report, based on information submitted by the user, showing investments with greatest savings and those with the fastest payback on investment.Information on multiple buildings may be stored and updated for use in future analyses.
- Energy Advisor / Home Energy Saver: The Home Energy Saver is designed to help you identify the best ways to save energy in your home, and find the resources to make the savings happen. The Home Energy Saver asks for a detailed description of your home, and then quickly computes energy use on-line. Results are provided in dollars, kilowatt hours and CO2 emissions for your house and the most energy efficient house. By changing one or more features, you can estimate how much energy and money you can save and how much pollution you can prevent by improving your home's energy efficiency. In addition, the Home Energy Saver's "Making it Happen" and "Energy Librarian" modules connect users to an expanding array of "how-to" information resources throughout the Internet.
- Home Analyzer: The Home Analyzer is designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of energy use in your home, descriptions of measures to reduce energy use, and comparisons to similar homes. Estimates of monthly and annual energy costs and CO2 emissions are provided for eight categories of home energy use. After entering information about your home energy use, the calculator prepares a Home Energy Analysis Report designed to help you save energy and money. The report contains a summary of typical annual energy costs of appliances like yours, an estimate of how much homes similar to yours spend on energy on a monthly basis, and specific energy saving opportunities for your home.
- Home Energy Checkup: Home Energy Checkup is a guide to identifying options for reducing energy costs through energy efficiency improvements. You can select from among 15 energy efficiency measures, compare costs to your current equipment or materials, and calculate cost and CO2 savings. It includes references to more sophisticated software tools, equipment manufacturers, and other sources of information you may need to implement specific energy efficiency projects.
- Recycled Content Tool: The Recycled Content (ReCon) Tool calculates the GHG emission and energy impacts of increasing the post-consumer recycled content of materials that are purchased or manufactured. Available online and as a downloadable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application (82 kb WinZip file
These calculators estimate the emission reduction benefits of using photovoltaics, solar water heaters, solar heated swimming pools, or choosing green power.
- Power Profiler: The Power Profiler helps users determine the specific air emissions impacts of electricity used to power their home or business using actual monthly energy use information (provided by the user), average monthly use, or default values for monthly residential and commercial electricity use.
- Calculator for Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems (PVWATTS): Many state electrical utilities have implemented programs where operators of photovoltaic systems connected to the electrical power grid can sell power to the utility operator. PVWATTS calculates electrical energy produced by a grid-connected photovoltaic system.
Cars and Trucks
These calculate and compare the fuel economy, operating costs, and emissions of cars and trucks by vehicle year, make and model.
- Fuel Economy Web Site: Calculates and compares miles per gallon, annual fuel use, fuel cost and greenhouse gas emissions for 1985-2001 model year cars and trucks.
- How Much Does Your Vehicle Pollute?: Determines your auto's carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxide emissions. Will calculate values specific to your mileage, or typical for the year and make of your auto. Includes additional information explaining the significance of the result and what can be done to lower emissions.
Calculate greenhouse gas emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices.
- WAste Reduction Model: The WAste Reduction Model (WARM) calculates and totals greenhouse gas emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices. Available online and as a downloadable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application (461 kb WinZip file).
- Multiple Countries: See the SafeClimate carbon dioxide footprint calculator description in the Individuals section, above.
- Australia - Environmental Impact Calculator: Calculates the emissions savings from using Australian energy star equipment. Results list savings in kilowatt hours, coal needed to provide this energy, kilograms CO2, and equivalent car travel.
- Canada - Climate Change Calculator: This tool prepared for the Canadian government calculates personal greenhouse gas emissions and lists mitigation strategies. Using a graphical example of a Canadian community, the user answers a series of questions on home heating and cooling, appliances, transportation and recreation activities. The calculator estimates personal CO2 emissions, offers suggestions for reducing emissions, and shows reductions acheived for those actions. The reporting function provides a graphical emissions breakdown for each feature. Available online or as a downloadable file.
- Japan - The CO2 Calculator: Calculates CO2 emissions from everyday Japanese electrical appliances and automobiles based on energy consumption figures.
- New Zealand - Residential Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Calculator: The Residential Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Calculator is an easy-to-use tool designed to estimate household CO2 emissions. The calculator also calculates average daily CO2 emissions and annual emissions relative to a typical New Zealand household.
- United Kingdom - Energy to Carbon Dioxide Converter: Converts emissions from electricity consumption and transportation activities to equivalent amounts and provides information on ways U.K. households can reduce their energy consumption.