Carbon Methodology

Last updated: 10 May 2026 · Status: methodology in active development

Methodology in development. GreenPilot AI's carbon estimation approach is actively being developed and refined. Emissions estimates produced during the current pilot phase are indicative only. They should not be used as primary data for regulatory reporting (including CSRD), investor disclosures, or carbon accounting without independent validation.

1. Overview

GreenPilot AI estimates the carbon emissions associated with a customer's AWS cloud usage as part of the assessment report delivered during the pilot programme. The goal is to help European SMEs develop visibility into their cloud-related emissions footprint — and to identify cloud optimizations that may reduce that footprint.

The methodology is based on available AWS usage data combined with publicly available electricity grid carbon intensity data. It is not a certified or audited methodology. It will evolve as the product develops, as better data sources become available, and as carbon accounting standards for cloud infrastructure mature.

2. What GreenPilot Measures

In the current pilot phase, GreenPilot estimates emissions related to:

Compute resource usage (EC2 instances) — by instance type, region, and utilisation level
Storage resource usage (S3, EBS) — by volume and region
Data transfer — where region-specific intensity data is available

GreenPilot does not currently estimate:

Scope 3 upstream emissions (hardware manufacturing)
Emissions from AWS managed services beyond compute and storage
Emissions from workloads running on spot or reserved capacity unless usage data is available

3. Methodology Approach

Active — Pilot Phase

Phase 1: Usage-based estimation with regional intensity factors

GreenPilot calculates estimated emissions using the formula:

Estimated CO₂e = Resource Usage (kWh equivalent) × Regional Grid Intensity (gCO₂e/kWh)

Resource energy consumption is approximated from AWS instance type specifications and usage hours. Regional grid intensity factors are drawn from publicly available sources including the IEA, EMBER, and the European Environment Agency, mapped to AWS regions.

Roadmap

Phase 2: AWS Customer Carbon Footprint Tool integration

GreenPilot plans to integrate data from AWS's Customer Carbon Footprint Tool (CCFT) where available and where the customer has granted access. CCFT provides AWS's own scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions estimates, which include AWS's renewable energy purchases and efficiency investments. This may improve the consistency, traceability, and customer confidence in GreenPilot's estimates.

Roadmap

Phase 3: Methodology review and external validation

GreenPilot intends to subject its carbon estimation methodology to external review as the product matures. This may include alignment with the GHG Protocol ICT Sector Guidance, CSRD-compatible reporting formats, or recognised cloud carbon accounting frameworks. Any validated methodology version will be clearly indicated in the assessment report.

4. Data Sources

Current data sources used in the Phase 1 methodology include:

AWS usage and billing data provided via read-only IAM access
IEA World Energy Outlook — country-level grid emissions intensity
EMBER European Electricity Review — EU country-level grid intensity
European Environment Agency — electricity generation by country
AWS instance type specifications — for compute energy approximation

These sources are updated periodically. GreenPilot uses the most recently available data at the time of assessment generation.

5. Limitations and Caveats

Users should be aware of the following limitations when interpreting GreenPilot carbon estimates:

Estimates are approximations based on publicly available intensity data — not metered energy consumption
AWS does not expose per-workload energy consumption data; GreenPilot uses instance-type specifications as a proxy
AWS's own renewable energy purchases and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are not currently reflected in GreenPilot Phase 1 estimates
Grid intensity factors vary by time of day and season; GreenPilot currently uses annual averages
Emissions estimates do not account for AWS infrastructure-level efficiency (PUE) beyond publicly published averages
Estimates should not be used for regulatory carbon accounting without independent validation

6. How We Use Carbon Estimates in Recommendations

Carbon estimates inform GreenPilot's multi-objective optimization scoring. When ranking recommendations, GreenPilot considers:

Estimated cost saving (primary signal in current pilot phase)
Estimated emissions reduction (indicative, based on Phase 1 methodology)
Implementation risk and complexity
EU region preferences specified by the customer

Recommendations that reduce both cost and emissions are highlighted. Customers are encouraged to consider both dimensions when prioritizing actions.

7. Updates to This Methodology

This page will be updated as the methodology evolves. Material changes will be indicated by an updated "Last updated" date. Customers who have received pilot assessments may request an updated emissions estimate if the methodology has been significantly revised since their assessment date.

8. Contact

Questions about the carbon methodology or requests for further detail should be directed to: info@greenpilotai.com