OBPS calculator for nitrogen fertilizers
Calculate your nitrogen fertilizers facility's annual Output-Based Pricing System obligation against the federal performance standard of 1.55 tCO₂e per t NH₃. Updated for the May 2026 carbon price schedule.
Standard applies per tonne of ammonia (NH₃) produced via steam methane reforming. Facilities co-producing urea should report NH₃-equivalent tonnes.
You owe for 12,500 tCO₂e above the output-based standard.
| SCENARIO | INTENSITY | OBLIGATION |
|---|---|---|
| If you cut emissions 20% | 1.44 (-7%) | +$522,500 |
| If you cut emissions 10% | 1.62 (+5%) | $332,500 |
| Your input | 1.80 (+16%) | $1,187,500 |
| If emissions rose 10% | 1.98 (+28%) | $2,042,500 |
| If emissions rose 20% | 2.16 (+39%) | $2,897,500 |
Your facility is operating 16% above the OBPS standard — every 10% emission reduction saves approximately $855,000 in obligations.
Annual obligation = (actual emissions − production × sector standard) × $95/tCO₂e. A positive number is cash you owe; a negative number is surplus credits you can bank or sell.
OBPS calculators for other Ontario sectors
Common questions
What is the OBPS performance standard for nitrogen fertilizers?
The federal OBPS performance standard for nitrogen fertilizers producers is 1.55 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per t NH₃ of production. This benchmark, set under ECCC's Output-Based Pricing System Regulations (SOR/2019-313), defines the emissions intensity below which a facility earns credits and above which it must remit payment at the federal carbon price.
How does the OBPS work for nitrogen fertilizers facilities in Ontario?
Also covering ammonia, urea, nitrogen fertilizer, smr. A facility reports its annual production in t NH₃ and its total covered emissions in tCO₂e. The OBPS multiplies production by 1.55 to determine "allowed" emissions. The difference between actual and allowed emissions is multiplied by the federal carbon price for the compliance year. A positive result means the facility owes; a negative result means it earned OBPS credits.
How does the May 2026 carbon price freeze affect my nitrogen fertilizers facility?
The federal carbon price for industrial emissions (including OBPS) was held flat at $95/tCO₂e in 2026 (no increase from 2025), under the May 15, 2026 federal-Alberta agreement. The price rises to $100/t for 2027–2029, $115/t by 2030, and reaches $130/t by 2035. Facilities below the nitrogen fertilizers standard can sell surplus credits; facilities above the standard can buy credits from a registry.
Do small nitrogen fertilizers facilities have to participate in OBPS?
OBPS applies to facilities emitting 50,000 tCO₂e or more per year. Smaller nitrogen fertilizers facilities may still face federal carbon pricing through the fuel charge (where applicable) or provincial programs. Verify your facility's threshold with ECCC's OBPS facility-level reporting guidance.
Where can I get primary-data carbon accounting for nitrogen fertilizers?
VantageHSG ingests real facility documents — MTCs (mill test certificates), fuel slips, LIMS exports, SAP extracts — and turns them into audit-ready carbon ledgers with full source lineage. The mass-balance methodology lets nitrogen fertilizers producers substantiate Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions directly from primary data, which is more defensible than EEIO spend-based estimates.