We always strive to correct any errors that are discovered in previous versions of the Calculator. When we do, we will share information here.

 

7th October 2024 - Agricultural, horticultural and vine crops emissions 2000-2024

What happened?

Until 2024, the Farm Carbon Calculator assumed an average approach to crop residue removal for each type of crop. It also used IPCC and GHG inventory standard values for the N content of those crops. We have improved our methodology to allow increased granularity between different crops (e.g. between different soft fruits such as strawberries and raspberries) to give more accurate emissions estimates for each crop. We have also provided options around management practices such as removing all (or none) of the crop residues (straw/ spent plants) to improve the accuracy of emissions estimates. The estimates for emissions from the majority of crop plants has reduced, however for most soft and top fruit it has increased (because there were previously no high-quality estimates for these crops). It is important that these improved estimates are available on the tool for all reports, so any report created after 7 October 2024 will use the updated emissions factors for crops. 

Existing reports will not be altered (updated) until you add, edit or delete a "crops" item.

What should I do to update reports?

You need to keep copies of your reports as they were originally submitted. So, for any reports already completed (before 2024-10-07):

1. Use the "lock report" button on the results page THEN

2. Make a copy of each of those reports. The copying process will re-submit each report to the calculations (using the corrected factors).

Alternatively, if you don't need the original version of the report, you can use the orange "recalculate" button on the results page to access the corrected emissions factors.

 

11th April 2024 - Distribution emissions 2022-2023

What happened?

When we obtain the emissions factors for freighting goods, they are available from BEIS [64] in a number of formats (per tonne.km, per km and per mile). We need the emissions factor in tonne.miles so that UK users can enter the distance in miles, number of journeys and tonnes transported. In the May 2023 update (factors affecting reports ending 2022-09-01 to 2024-04-01) the emissions factors obtained from BEIS had not been properly converted to kgCO2e per tonne.mile by our team and as a result, distribution emissions in the Calculator were over-estimated. We apologise for the inconvenience. 

What should I do?

You need to keep copies of your reports as they were originally submitted. So, for any reports with distribution from 2022 or 2023 (end date 2022-09-01 to 2024-04-01):

1. Use the "lock report" button on the results page THEN

2. Make a copy of each of those reports. The copying process will re-submit each report to the calculations (using the corrected factors).

Alternatively, if you don't need the original version of the report, you can use the orange "recalculate" button on the results page to access the corrected emissions factors.