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Life Cycle Thinking Overview

Measuring Your Carbon Footprint RVCCC Meeting May 16, 2008 Sean McGinnis Director - VT Green Engineering Program RVCCC Board Member. Life Cycle Thinking Overview. IMPACTS Atmosphere: Global Warming Ozone Depletion Smog Formation Acidification Human Health Hydrosphere: Eutrophication

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Life Cycle Thinking Overview

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  1. Measuring Your Carbon FootprintRVCCC MeetingMay 16, 2008Sean McGinnisDirector - VT Green Engineering ProgramRVCCC Board Member

  2. Life Cycle Thinking Overview IMPACTS Atmosphere: Global Warming Ozone Depletion Smog Formation Acidification Human Health Hydrosphere: Eutrophication Acidification Aquifer depletion Ecotoxicity Human Health Biosphere: Soil depletion Deforestation Resource Depletion Ecotoxicity Human Health Manufacturing Inputs Outputs Use Extraction 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

  3. Life Cycle Thinking & Carbon Footprints IMPACTS Atmosphere: Global Warming Ozone Depletion Smog Formation Acidification Human Health Hydrosphere: Eutrophication Acidification Aquifer depletion Ecotoxicity Human Health Biosphere: Soil depletion Deforestation Resource Depletion Ecotoxicity Human Health Mass In = Mass Out Your House Your Business Your Activities Electricity Fuels Water Chemicals Products Air Emissions Solid Waste Waste Water • How you limit the boundaries and scope of the analysis dictates the time required and accuracy of the footprint

  4. Chemical Relationships To Global Warming • 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

  5. Why Use Carbon Dioxide As A Reference? 2000 Source: University of Michigan - Center for Sustainable Systems Factsheets Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research version 3.2, fast track 2000 project • Carbon dioxide emissions dominate greenhouse gas emissions • Greenhouse gas emissions are distributed across sectors

  6. Emissions Reduction Recommendations • Various schemes and legislation have been proposed to reduce carbon emissions • For comparison, note the CO2 emissions increases from 1990 – 2004: • US: ~16% (Source: UNFCC report) • VA: ~34% (Source: 2007 VA Energy Plan)

  7. Graphical View of Carbon Reduction Plans 2000 baseline 1990 baseline

  8. ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability Forecast Year STEP Baseline emissions inventory & forecast 1 Set emissions reduction goals 2 Virginia ICLEI Members: Albemarle County Arlington County Blacksburg Charlottesville Frederick County Harrisonburg Norfolk Roanoke Roanoke County Warrenton Develop Local Gov’t Action Plan 3 4 Implement Local Action Plan 5 Monitor and verify results 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

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

  10. Municipal Emissions Are A Small Portion Of The Overall Community Baseline Roanoke Municipal vs. Community Baseline Emission Comparison (2005)

  11. You Can’t Manage What You Haven’t Measured • Reasons to measure a carbon footprint • Measurement provides awareness • In most instances, carbon footprints highlight opportunities to save money • Without data and measurements, it is not obvious how to make the best choices to reduce carbon emissions • Different implementation actions have different costs • Without measurements for comparison, it is impossible to tell if you are really making a difference

  12. How To Measure Your Carbon Footprint? • Process: • Determine the scope of your analysis • Collect data for a given time period • Translate inputs and outputs to carbon dioxide equivalents • Consider options, develop an action plan, implement changes, and monitor effects

  13. Carbon Footprint Are Often Dominated By Only A Few Categories • Main contributors to carbon emissions: • Electricity: Coal + O2 → CO2 • Natural gas: CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O • Gasoline: C8H18 + O2 → CO2 + H2O (~20 lbs CO2/gallon) • 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

  14. Details For The RVCCC Carbon Calculator • Why use the RVCCC calculator rather than others available? • It is helpful within a community to use a common analysis tool • A simple tool to get individuals/businesses started is better than a detailed method which is complex and time consuming • Generic tools often don’t capture local issues, for example, the predominance of coal use in SWVA for electricity

  15. RVCCC Carbon Calculator Details This value is adjusted to better reflect Appalachian Power Co. electricity carbon intensity

  16. RVCCC Carbon Calculator Details • The critical data for transportation emission estimates is the gallons of fuel used

  17. RVCCC Carbon Calculator Details • A business carbon calculator under development has less subjective treatment of these categories

  18. RVCCC 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

  19. RVCCC Carbon Calculator Example • Different individuals and businesses will have different profiles • It is generally difficult to understand these issues without real data and analysis

  20. RVCCC vs. EPA Carbon Calculator Check US EPA: Personal Emissions Calculator http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html • 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

  21. Group Activity Questions?

  22. EPA Regulated Air Pollutants National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) • Carbon dioxide is currently not regulated • Most air pollutants come from combustion of fuels http://epa.gov/air/criteria.html

  23. Carbon Dioxide Atmospheric Concentrations • http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/insitu.html

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