Does biogas combustion still count as Scope 1?

Yes — combustion of biogas or landfill gas at a site you own or control is a direct emission and reported under Scope 1, in the same way as natural gas or LPG combustion.

How do I separate biogas from mains natural gas on a blended supply?

Use the utility's billing breakdown or the anaerobic digestion plant operator's monthly output report, which typically states the renewable gas volume injected. Avoid applying a flat percentage assumption unless your supplier confirms it for the billing period.

Is landfill gas captured for flaring reported the same way as biogas used for heat?

Both are recorded as combustion of a gaseous fuel at an owned or controlled site, but flag flaring separately in your data if you also report methane destruction for landfill compliance, since regulators may ask for that volume independently.

What if we buy biogas certificates instead of physically consuming biogas?

Certificates do not change the physical fuel combusted at your site; continue recording actual metered gas volumes here and treat certificates as a separate market-based claim, not a substitute for activity data.

Do I need to record biogas used by a tenant in a building we own?

No — energy used and controlled by a tenant sits in your Scope 3 (or their own Scope 1/2), not this entry, unless your lease makes you the operational controller of that combustion.

Activity data·Energy & fuels

How to measure emissions from Biogas

Biogas activity data covers biogas and landfill gas combusted in boilers, CHP or flares at sites the organisation owns or controls, recorded in kWh or tonnes. It sits under Scope 1 for direct combustion and Scope 3 Category 3 for upstream fuel emissions. Use metered volumes or supplier renewable-gas invoices rather than flat percentage assumptions.

Scope: Scope 1 and Scope 3 Category 3
What activity data you need: kWh, tonne
Activity data: Energy & fuels

What counts as Biogas

Biogas produced from anaerobic digestion (including landfill gas) combusted in boilers, CHP units or flares at sites the organisation owns or controls. Excludes biogas purchased and combusted by a supplier or landlord, or gas the organisation does not control.

Biogas sits alongside natural gas and other gaseous fuels in the energy cluster, but its origin (anaerobic digestion or landfill) means some organisations report it separately for SECR or voluntary bio-energy disclosures. Only combustion at sites you own or control counts here — biogas exported to the grid, or combusted by a third-party operator on your site under their own contract, belongs to that operator's inventory, not yours. Record biogas and landfill gas as distinct sub-types so double-counting against general natural gas volumes is avoided.

How to collect the data

Primary data comes from gas meters or flow meters on the biogas plant, supplemented by anaerobic digester operating logs where metering is partial. Where biogas is blended with mains natural gas, use utility invoices that separate the renewable proportion; do not estimate the split. If no metering exists, a tonnage of feedstock digested with a documented conversion assumption from your supplier's asset performance report is an acceptable interim proxy — reference the assumption in your methodology notes rather than treating it as a verified reading.

What activity data you need

Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.

kWh
tonne

Which emission scope it falls under

Biogas activity data typically maps to Scope 1 and Scope 3 Category 3 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.

Scope 1

Scope 3 Category 3

By emission scope

Compliance frameworks

Compliance & reporting frameworks

Sub-types available in the platform

All 2 sub-types available in the platform.

Biogas
Landfill gas

Common questions

Does biogas combustion still count as Scope 1?: Yes — combustion of biogas or landfill gas at a site you own or control is a direct emission and reported under Scope 1, in the same way as natural gas or LPG combustion.
How do I separate biogas from mains natural gas on a blended supply?: Use the utility's billing breakdown or the anaerobic digestion plant operator's monthly output report, which typically states the renewable gas volume injected. Avoid applying a flat percentage assumption unless your supplier confirms it for the billing period.
Is landfill gas captured for flaring reported the same way as biogas used for heat?: Both are recorded as combustion of a gaseous fuel at an owned or controlled site, but flag flaring separately in your data if you also report methane destruction for landfill compliance, since regulators may ask for that volume independently.
What if we buy biogas certificates instead of physically consuming biogas?: Certificates do not change the physical fuel combusted at your site; continue recording actual metered gas volumes here and treat certificates as a separate market-based claim, not a substitute for activity data.
Do I need to record biogas used by a tenant in a building we own?: No — energy used and controlled by a tenant sits in your Scope 3 (or their own Scope 1/2), not this entry, unless your lease makes you the operational controller of that combustion.

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Related in this cluster·Energy & fuels