Table 3.
Parameters and estimated uncertainties used in Monte Carlo simulations. CFP = carbon footprint, Prod = production, Cons = consumption, EF = emissions factor, CV = coefficient of variation (= standard deviation/mean x 100).
| Parameter | Distribution | Uncertainty | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production (CFPProd and CFPCons) | |||
| Raw milk production EF | Normal | CV: ±20% | Based on variation in data in Clune et al. (2017) |
| Vegetable oil production EF | Lognormal | CV: ±25% | Based on uncertainty information from Schmidt (2015) |
| Process energy use, electrical | Triangular | −50% to +80% | Estimated based on benchmarking of Irish dairy powder processing (Geraghty, 2011) |
| Process energy use, thermal (natural gas) | Triangular | −30% to +60% | |
| Consumption (CFPCons) | |||
| Water per bottle for sterilisation | Triangular | ±50% | Our estimate |
| Stove efficiency | Triangular | ±15% | Our estimate |
| Breastfeeding (CFPBF) | |||
| Food production and distribution | Lognormal | CV: ±45%a | Based on uncertainty information in Clune et al. (2017) |
| Cooking energy use | Triangular | −30% to +300% | Based on the range between different food products provided in Carlsson-Kanyama and Boström-Carlsson (2001) |
a
This is the average for all food types, individual values were used for each food type in the calculations (Table S12 in Supplementary Data).