Resources / Grain / Emissions intensity
Grain · Environment · Footprint

Emissions intensity

0.28 t CO₂e/t grain

The greenhouse-gas footprint relative to output — tonnes of CO₂-equivalent (chiefly nitrous oxide from soil nitrogen, plus fertiliser manufacture and diesel) emitted per tonne of grain produced.

Worked example · t CO₂e per t grain · 4-year trend
Industry avg 0.32 0.34 0.28 2023 2024 2025 2026
t CO₂e per t grain · 4-year trend
The benchmark

Australian grain has a comparatively low footprint — commonly around 0.2–0.4 t CO₂e per tonne of grain — dominated by nitrogen fertiliser (manufacture and soil N₂O) and diesel.

GRDC GrowNotes ↗
What it signals

Because the footprint is dominated by nitrogen, emissions intensity tracks nitrogen use efficiency closely — the same practices that stop N being lost also cut emissions per tonne. As grain buyers and lenders begin asking for footprint data, it also protects market access.

Data required to calculate
Grain producedtNitrogen appliedkg NFuel and input use$

Silo pulls each of these from the sources the operation already uses, and keeps the figure current automatically.

How to improve it
01

Lift nitrogen use efficiency to cut soil N₂O and fertiliser emissions per tonne.

02

Use legumes in the rotation to fix nitrogen and reduce applied N.

03

Cut diesel per tonne through controlled traffic and efficient operations.

Questions & answers

What is emissions intensity?

The greenhouse-gas footprint relative to output — tonnes of CO₂-equivalent (chiefly nitrous oxide from soil nitrogen, plus fertiliser manufacture and diesel) emitted per tonne of grain produced.

What data do you need to calculate emissions intensity?

You need: Grain produced (t), Nitrogen applied (kg N), Fuel and input use ($). Silo pulls each of these from the sources the operation already uses and keeps the figure current automatically.

What is a good emissions intensity benchmark?

Australian grain has a comparatively low footprint — commonly around 0.2–0.4 t CO₂e per tonne of grain — dominated by nitrogen fertiliser (manufacture and soil N₂O) and diesel.

How do you improve emissions intensity?

Lift nitrogen use efficiency to cut soil N₂O and fertiliser emissions per tonne. Use legumes in the rotation to fix nitrogen and reduce applied N. Cut diesel per tonne through controlled traffic and efficient operations.

More grain guides

All grain KPIs →

See this KPI live for your own operation.

Connect the software, spreadsheets and records you already keep, and Silo keeps every benchmark on this page current automatically.

Book a demo