Measuring Your Carbon FootprintMeasuring Your Carbon Footprint

RVCCC MeetingMay 16, 2008

Sean McGinnisDirector - VT Green Engineering Program

RVCCC Board Member

Life Cycle Thinking OverviewLife Cycle Thinking Overview

IMPACTS

Atmosphere:Global WarmingOzone DepletionSmog Formation

AcidificationHuman Health

Hydrosphere:EutrophicationAcidification

Aquifer depletion Ecotoxicity

Human Health

Biosphere:Soil depletion Deforestation

Resource DepletionEcotoxicity

Human Health

Inputs OutputsExtraction

Manufacturing

Use

Disposal

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) quantifies all inputs/outputs and allows analysis of both environmental impacts and total costs

• A Carbon Footprint is a limited LCA which uses global warming as the only impact category

Life Cycle Thinking & Carbon FootprintsLife Cycle Thinking & Carbon Footprints

IMPACTS

Atmosphere:Global WarmingOzone DepletionSmog Formation

AcidificationHuman Health

Hydrosphere:EutrophicationAcidification

Aquifer depletion Ecotoxicity

Human Health

Biosphere:Soil depletion Deforestation

Resource DepletionEcotoxicity

Human Health

ElectricityFuelsWater

ChemicalsProducts

Air EmissionsSolid Waste

Waste Water

• How you limit the boundaries and scope of the analysis dictates the time required and accuracy of the footprint

Your HouseYour BusinessYour Activities

Mass In = Mass Out

Chemical Relationships To Global WarmingChemical Relationships To Global Warming

Greenhouse Gas (ei) GWPi (100 year)* Pollutant Source (Anthropogenic)

CO2 (carbon dioxide) 1.0Combustion of fuels

N2O (nitrous oxide) 300

CH4 (methane) 23 Waste decomposition in landfills

HFC-152a 122Industrial processes and products (air conditioning refrigerants, electrical power industry, metal production, etc.)

CF4 (carbon tetrafluoride) 1380

HFC-134a 1410

HFC-125 3450

HFC-23 14310

C2F6 (hexafluoroethane) 12010

SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) 22450

• Global Warming Potentials (GWP) indicate the degree to which a particular chemical absorbs infrared radiation and thereby warms the atmosphere

Source: EPA TRACI Database

• Global Warming of the atmosphere depends not only on the GWP, but also on the amount of the chemical in the atmosphere

• Advanced carbon footprints account for gas emissions other than carbon dioxide

Why Use Carbon Dioxide As A Reference?Why Use Carbon Dioxide As A Reference?

• Carbon dioxide emissions dominate greenhouse gas emissions • Greenhouse gas emissions are distributed across sectors

Source: University of Michigan - Center for Sustainable Systems Factsheets

2000

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gasEmission Database for Global Atmospheric Research version 3.2, fast track 2000 project

Emissions Reduction RecommendationsEmissions Reduction Recommendations

CO2 Reduction Target Year Baseline Year Recommended By

7% 2008 - 2012 1990 Kyoto Protocol for US (Kyoto, Japan – 1997)

60 – 80% 2050 1990

ICLEI, World Mayors Conference on Climate Change, US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement, C40 Climate Leadership Group (Bali, Indonesia - 2007).

15 – 20% 15 – 20 years ---- ICLEI Milestone Guide (minimum recommendation)

Return to 2000 levels

2025 2000 2007 Virginia Energy Plan

2% Every year Every year Virginia Citizen Energy Plan

• For comparison, note the CO2 emissions increases from 1990 – 2004:

1. US: ~16% (Source: UNFCC report)

2. VA: ~34% (Source: 2007 VA Energy Plan)

• Various schemes and legislation have been proposed to reduce carbon emissions

Graphical View of Carbon Reduction PlansGraphical View of Carbon Reduction Plans

CO2 Emission Trends (Estimates)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Mil

lio

n M

etri

c T

on

s (C

O2e

)

Virginia Historical

VA Extrapolation

2007 VA Energy Plan

Citizens' Energy Plan

60% Bali

80% Bali

Kyoto (7% average)

2000 baseline

1990 baseline

ICLEI: Local Governments for SustainabilityICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability

Set emissions reduction goals

Baseline emissions inventory & forecast

Develop Local Gov’t Action Plan

Monitor and verify results

Implement Local Action Plan

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

1

2

3

4

5

STEPForecast

Year

2006

Virginia ICLEI Members:Albemarle CountyArlington County BlacksburgCharlottesvilleFrederick CountyHarrisonburgNorfolkRoanokeRoanoke CountyWarrenton

Roanoke Community ICLEI BaselineRoanoke Community ICLEI Baseline

• Note that Roanoke CO2 emissions by source are dominated by electricity due to significant coal use (~88%) in the fuel mix.

Municipal Emissions Are A Small Municipal Emissions Are A Small Portion Of The Overall Community BaselinePortion Of The Overall Community Baseline

Roanoke Municipal vs. Community Baseline Emission

Comparison (2005)

You Can’t Manage What You Haven’t MeasuredYou Can’t Manage What You Haven’t Measured

• Reasons to measure a carbon footprint

1. Measurement provides awareness

2. In most instances, carbon footprints highlight opportunities to save money

3. Without data and measurements, it is not obvious how to make the best choices to reduce carbon emissions

4. Different implementation actions have different costs

5. Without measurements for comparison, it is impossible to tell if you are really making a difference

How To Measure Your Carbon Footprint?How To Measure Your Carbon Footprint?

• Process:

1. Determine the scope of your analysis

2. Collect data for a given time period

3. Translate inputs and outputs to carbon dioxide equivalents

4. Consider options, develop an action plan, implement changes, and monitor effects

Carbon Footprint Are Often Carbon Footprint Are Often Dominated By Only A Few CategoriesDominated By Only A Few Categories

• Main contributors to carbon emissions:

1. Electricity: Coal + O2 → CO2

2. Natural gas: CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O

3. Gasoline: C8H18 + O2 → CO2 + H2O (~20 lbs CO2/gallon)

4. Other fuel sources like propane, heat oil

• All fuels are impure to some degree which leads to other emissions (sulfur, mercury, etc.) and environmental impacts

• Consumption of products is often considered out of scope since these may be accounted for by the businesses which manufacture the products

• Recycling is often considered a negative carbon emission due to energy not required for extraction and manufacturing in the future

Details For The RVCCC Carbon CalculatorDetails For The RVCCC Carbon Calculator

• Why use the RVCCC calculator rather than others available?

1. It is helpful within a community to use a common analysis tool

2. A simple tool to get individuals/businesses started is better than a detailed method which is complex and time consuming

3. Generic tools often don’t capture local issues, for example, the predominance of coal use in SWVA for electricity

RVCCC Carbon Calculator DetailsRVCCC Carbon Calculator Details

This value is adjusted to better reflect Appalachian Power Co. electricity carbon intensity

RVCCC Carbon Calculator DetailsRVCCC Carbon Calculator Details

• The critical data for transportation emission estimates is the gallons of fuel used

RVCCC Carbon Calculator DetailsRVCCC Carbon Calculator Details

• A business carbon calculator under development has less subjective treatment of these categories

RVCCC Carbon Calculator DetailsRVCCC Carbon Calculator Details

• Carbon offsets allow an individual or business to pay money toward a project which will “offset” a specific amount of carbon emissions

• A few of options exist for carbon offsets include:– RVCCC will donate a CFL as a carbon offset at a price of ~$7/ton– Carbonfund.org allows choice of reforestation, wind power, or energy efficiency carbon offsets

at a cost of ~$5.50/ton– TerraPass.com allows a choice of wind power, animal wastes for farm energy, and landfill

methane capture for carbon offsets at a cost of ~$10/ton

• Carbon offsets have some concerns and controversy:– It can be challenging to verify the offset– It can be argued that carbon offsets do not promote carbon emission reductions– It can be argued that carbon offsets promote needed funds for alternative technologies

RVCCC Carbon Calculator ExampleRVCCC Carbon Calculator Example

• Different individuals and businesses will have different profiles

• It is generally difficult to understand these issues without real data and analysis

Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition - Carbon Footprint Calculator

Categories Enter DataCalculation Factors

(lbs CO2)Carbon Footprint

(lbs CO2)

UTILITIES

Kilowatt Hours Used 12000 1.85 22200

Natural Gas - Therms 400 13.466 5386

TRANSPORTATION

Vehicle #1 - MPG 25

Miles Driven 6500 20 5200

Vehicle #2 - MPG 27

Miles Driven 3500 20 2593

Air travel person miles 3000 0.45 1350

WASTE DISPOSAL

# of people in household 2

Consumption Profile 4

4 - "Waste not, want not" 1500

% waste recycled 90 -540

Subtotal 37689

Pounds of CO2 reduce by carbon offsets

0CARBON

FOOTPRINT (tons)18.8

RVCCC vs. EPA Carbon Calculator CheckRVCCC vs. EPA Carbon Calculator Check

• Differences:– No airline travel in EPA calculator– EPA calculator uses energy costs (electricity, natural gas, fuel oil) rather than

actual fuel values– EPA calculator has more recycling details, but different approach to

consumption

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

US EPA: Personal Emissions Calculator

Group Activity

Questions?

EPA Regulated Air PollutantsEPA Regulated Air Pollutants

http://epa.gov/air/criteria.html

  Primary Standards Secondary Standards

Pollutant Level Averaging Time Level Averaging Time

Carbon Monoxide

9 ppm (10 mg/m3) 8-hour(1)

None 35 ppm (40 mg/m3) 1-hour(1)

Lead 1.5 µg/m3 Quarterly Average Same as Primary

Nitrogen Dioxide 0.053 ppm (100 µg/m3) Annual (Arith. Mean) Same as Primary

Particulate Matter (PM10) 150 µg/m3 24-hour(2) Same as Primary

Particulate Matter (PM2.5) 15.0 µg/m3 Annual(3) (Arith. Mean) Same as Primary

35 µg/m3 24-hour(4) Same as Primary

Ozone 0.075 ppm (2008 std) 8-hour(5) Same as Primary

0.08 ppm (1997 std) 8-hour(6) Same as Primary

0.12 ppm 1-hour(7) (limited areas) Same as Primary

Sulfur Dioxide

0.03 ppm Annual (Arith. Mean) 0.5 ppm (1300 µg/m3)

3-hour(1)

0.14 ppm 24-hour(1)

• Carbon dioxide is currently not regulated• Most air pollutants come from combustion of fuels

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

Carbon Dioxide Atmospheric ConcentrationsCarbon Dioxide Atmospheric Concentrations

• http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/insitu.html