Track Your Digital Carbon Footprint

CarbonByte is a web application designed to help users estimate the carbon footprint of their digital products, such as websites, apps, podcasts, newsletters, or e-papers. Users can input various metrics related to their product's lifecycle, including data center usage, advertising, and end-user interaction. The model estimates CO2 emissions by focusing on the primary energy consumers in the digital value chain:

• Data Center Emissions: Electricity use in data centers (servers, cooling, networks).
• Advertising Emissions: Calculated using the number of ad impressions and an emission factor (either user-provided or a default value from here: https://github.com/AnneLovina/carbonbyte/blob/main/parameters.py)
• Content Delivery (Network) Emissions: Estimated based on the total data transferred (calculated from product size, video viewing time, and downloads) across fixed and mobile networks. It uses energy intensity factors (kWh/GB) for each network type and applies a country-specific carbon intensity factor (kg CO2e/kWh) for electricity.End-User Device Emissions: Calculated based on the time users spend on the product, distributed across different device types (laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, TVs, e-readers) according to impression counts. It considers the average power consumption of each device type and the carbon intensity of electricity in the specified country.Please note: It does not currently include emissions related to: Development and Design phases, Maintenance and Updates (e.g., CI/CD pipelines), Hardware manufacturing (embodied carbon), Product disposal and recycling. Constants and Emission Factors: Default values for energy intensity, device power consumption, data transfer bitrates, and country carbon intensity are defined here: https://github.com/AnneLovina/carbonbyte/blob/main/parameters.py.

Understanding these emissions helps you:

• Gain transparency about your carbon footprint
• Take proactive sustainability measures
• Prepare for potential regulatory changes

The tool is initially available for free.

The required data is directly requested within the tool, guiding you step-by-step through the process. The tool also provides tips on sourcing the necessary data.

Our calculations are based on scientifically validated models and the available parameter data. Accuracy depends on the quality of your input data, but results provide a reliable foundation for sustainability planning. Please note: We do not assume liability for the accuracy of the results. For further details and assumptions, please refer to our Methodology.

No, your data is processed anonymously and not stored permanently.

We prioritize transparency. All formulas, calculations, and data sources are documented in our open source methodology: https://github.com/AnneLovina/carbonbyte.

No. The tool does not automatically suggest reduction potentials. Instead, it provides transparency by showing where emissions occur and in what magnitude.

If your use case includes social media traffic, own data centers, or alternative infrastructure models, please contact us—we’re actively working to expand coverage.

Our tool is specifically designed for digital products. It offers an intuitive interface, reliable results, and transparent methodology—plus guidance for action, not just data.