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ethanol

liquid biofuel

DESNZ 2025 Bioethanol. Scope-1 CO2e (CH4+N2O; biogenic CO2 netted to zero) is a separate factor from the biogenic combustion CO2 ('outside of scopes'). IPCC 2006 Biogasoline NCV 27.0 MJ/kg (wide range 13.6–54.0, 'ethanol theoretical'), raw CO2 70,800 kg/TJ.

  • Biogenic CO2 from ethanol combustion is reported on a SEPARATE line ('outside of scopes'), not silently zeroed.

Different products with different numbers. Check you are on the right one.

  • gasoline 746.204 kg/m³ 2.06916 kgCO2e/L

Emission factors

MetricValueScopeRegion / yearSource
CO₂e0.00901 kgCO2e/LScope 1 (direct)UK · 2025
biogenic CO₂1.52 kgCO2/Loutside the scopes (biogenic, reported separately)UK · 2025

CO₂ ≠ CO₂e — separate metrics, never converted into one another.Biogenic CO₂ is listed on its own line: the carbon still leaves the stack, but it is accounted for separately from fossil CO₂ rather than added to it. What these metrics mean →

Worked example

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Converting
1 L · ethanol

Conversion results

Energy

Same energy expressed in other units.

21.28 MJ
source-based
5.911 kWh
source-based
0.02128 GJ
source-based
20,170 BTU
source-based
23.58 MJ
source-based
6.551 kWh
source-based
0.02358 GJ
source-based
22,350 BTU
source-based

Mass

0.794 kg
source-based

Volume

1,000 mL
exact
1 L
exact
0.001
exact
~0.264172 US gal
exact
~0.219969 imp gal
exact
~0.00628981 bbl
exact

Emissions

CO₂ and CO₂e are separate — never derived from each other.

~0.00901 kg CO2e
region + year
~1.52 kg CO2
region + year

Energy density

Energy per unit of mass or volume.

26.8 MJ/kg
source-based

Assumptions

  • density: assumed ethanol density 794 kg/m³ at 15 °C (fuel-properties basis)
  • heating value basis: energy on LHV/NCV basis, 26.8 MJ/kg
  • heating value basis: energy on HHV/GCV basis, 29.7 MJ/kg

Sources

Follow each source back to its primary document — that traceability is the point. How conversions work →

Sources

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