Scope 2 Emissions
Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from an organisation's purchased electricity, heat, or steam, calculated using the emissions factor of the energy generation source.
Definition
Scope 2 emissions, as defined by the GHG Protocol, cover indirect emissions associated with the generation of purchased electricity, heat, steam, or cooling consumed by the reporting organisation. Unlike Scope 1, the emissions themselves occur off-site (at the power plant, for example), but they're attributed to the organisation because it's the end consumer of that energy.
Scope 2 emissions are typically calculated by multiplying metered electricity consumption by a grid emissions factor specific to the country or region — meaning accurate, granular consumption data is essential to getting the figure right.
Why It Matters
Scope 2 is often an organisation's single largest emissions category, and because it scales directly with electricity consumption, it's also one of the most directly reducible through energy efficiency measures and monitoring — making accurate Scope 2 tracking a high-leverage starting point for most sustainability programmes.
How ecolyptus Helps
ecolyptus calculates Scope 2 emissions directly from metered consumption data across every connected site, applying region-specific grid emissions factors automatically rather than relying on estimated averages.