Carbon Factor Matcher — MCP Server for Carbon Accounting

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that connects AI agents with carbon emission factor databases. It provides intelligent emission factor matching for carbon accounting, LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), and ESG reporting applications.

What is this MCP?

Carbon Factor Matcher helps AI agents find the most appropriate emission factors from standardized environmental databases. It uses a hybrid search algorithm:

1. Keyword + Embedding retrieval — Field-weighted keyword scoring and semantic similarity to find candidate factors

The calling AI agent selects the best match from the ranked candidates.

Supported Databases

• ELCD — European Reference Life Cycle Database (~600 factors, included in Free tier)
• ecoinvent 3.10 — Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories (~6,000+ factors, Pro license required)

Key Features

• Hybrid keyword + embedding matching for accurate factor retrieval
• Multi-language support (Chinese/English activity descriptions)
• Zero configuration — works out of the box after installation
• MCP-compatible — works with Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Continue, and any MCP client

Installation

Claude Code

claude mcp add carbon-factor-matcher -- npx -y @nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carbon-factor-matcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"]
    }
  }
}

Config file locations:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json (project) or ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carbon-factor-matcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"]
    }
  }
}

Or via Cursor UI: Settings → MCP → Add new global MCP server.

Windsurf

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carbon-factor-matcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"]
    }
  }
}

Or via Windsurf UI: Settings → Cascade → MCP Servers → Add.

Cline (VS Code Extension)

Add to Cline MCP settings (click MCP Servers icon in Cline panel):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carbon-factor-matcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"]
    }
  }
}

Continue (VS Code / JetBrains)

Add to ~/.continue/config.yaml:

mcpServers:
  - name: carbon-factor-matcher
    command: npx
    args:
      - "-y"
      - "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"

Smithery.ai (One-Click Install)

npx -y smithery mcp add nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher

Or visit smithery.ai/server/@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher for hosted endpoint.

Pro License

The Free tier works immediately after installation (300 queries/day, ELCD database, keyword search). To unlock the full experience:

Plan	Price	Features
Free	$0	ELCD database (~600 factors), keyword search, 300 queries/day
Pro	$5 (one-time)	ELCD + ecoinvent (~6,000+ factors), hybrid keyword + embedding matching, unlimited queries

After purchase at zerocarbonlogic.com, you'll receive a license key via email. Set it as an environment variable in your MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "carbon-factor-matcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher"],
      "env": {
        "CARBON_FACTOR_LICENSE_KEY": "PRO-xxxx-xxxx"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration

Variable	Description	Default
CARBON_FACTOR_LICENSE_KEY	Your license key (empty = Free tier)	—
CARBON_FACTOR_DATA_DIR	Path to local factor database	data/factors

Note: No additional API configuration needed. The calling AI agent handles final factor selection.

Available Tools

factor_match

Match activity data to emission factors. Free tier uses keyword search; Pro tier uses hybrid keyword + embedding matching. Returns ranked candidates for the calling agent to select from.

Input:

{
  "activity_data": "Factory in Shenzhen, 10kV industrial electricity, 2024, semiconductor fab",
  "top_k": 10
}

Output (Pro tier):

{
  "candidates": [
    {
      "id": "elec-cn-south-10kv-2024",
      "name": "Electricity, 10kV, South China Grid",
      "value": 0.6101,
      "unit": "kgCO2e/kWh",
      "hybrid_score": 0.85,
      "final_score": 0.875
    }
  ],
  "selection_guidance": "从候选列表中选择最匹配的排放因子..."
}

factor_search

Search emission factors by keyword with optional filters.

Input:

{
  "query": "diesel",
  "category": "fuel",
  "limit": 10
}

factor_detail

Get full metadata for a specific factor.

Input:

{
  "factor_id": "elec-cn-south-10kv-2024"
}

Demo

👉 Try the Live Demo — Search 30+ emission factors directly in your browser (no installation needed).

System Requirements

• Node.js 18+ (for npx)
• Python 3.11+ (auto-installed via pip)

Support

• Email: tao.yan@zju.edu.cn
• Issues: https://github.com/nikeandocean/carbon-factor-matcher/issues

License

This is proprietary software. See LICENSE for details.

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© 2024 Carbon Factor Matcher. All rights reserved.