Full Name Unit/Department Phone Lauren Reilly

Transcription

1 Proposal Details G Hendrix Section 1: Summary Information * Project Title: Reducing USF's GHG Emissions Campus-Wide * Duration (months): 12 * Total Budget ($): $50, * Requested SGEF Funds ($): $50, * Matching Funds ($): $0.00 * Proposed Starting Date: 8/1/ PI Graduation Date (if applicable): 7/31/ Section 2: Applicant Information * Principal Investigator Investigator 1 Investigator 2 Investigator 3 Investigator 4 Full Name Unit/Department Phone Lauren Reilly Patel College of Global Sustainability lmreilly@mail.usf.edu Kebreab Ghebremichael Office of Sustainability/ PCGS kebreab@usf.edu Nainan Desai Facilities Management ndesai@usf.edu Facilities Suchi Daniels Management suchitramba@usf.edu Planning Section 3: Project Description * Project background and purpose (reasons motivating request) (Max 500 words) The proposed strategies will address the requirements of the Climate Commitment, previously known as the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, signed by President Genshaft in According to our Climate Action Plan, our benchmarks are to reduce emissions by 10% in 2015, 80% by 2050, and become carbon neutral by Through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Carbon Offsets (COs), we can reduce USF s GHG by 10% campus-wide. RECs are market-based instruments that represent the property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation. RECs are issued when one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable energy source. The generation and delivery of electricity can happen anywhere in the United States energy market, it does not need to be on campus or even in Florida. It has been estimated that $40,000 a year toward RECs will lower USF s energy purchase by 10%. This is based on estimates of electricity consumptions over the years. During FY 2015, electricity consumption was 190,015,268 kwh, to reduce by 10%, our annual consumption should be reduced by 30.4 million kwh based on our 2008 baseline of 177,334,805 kwh. At $1 per 1 kwh, we would need to allocate $40,000 for the 40,000 kwh. The REC s are traded in the open market. At current prices, the cost of REC s to offset 10% of electricity usage is $40,000. COs, similar to RECs, are an affordable, certifiable, and acceptable means to counterbalance greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from fossible fuel burning, move toward carbon neutrality, and advance carbon reduction projects and technologies (Renewable Energy Choice, ). By purchasing carbon offsets, organizations counteract the unavoidable emissions from essential business activities such as gas boilers, business travel, employee commute, waste management, and the supply chain. Offsets are an ideal complement to efficiency measures and other mitigation strategies designed to achieve carbon neutrality. A carbon offset is a certificate representing the reduction of one metric ton (2,205 lbs) of carbon dioxide emissions. In 2015, USF s natural gas consumption was 3.8 million therms and the target for 10% reduction target was 3.4 millions therms. This translates to about 2,000 carbon offsets to offset natural gas alone. We are estimating a need for a $10,000 allocation for the COs to reach the 10% benchmark. 1EPA. (). Renewable Energy Certificates. Green Power Partnerships. Retrieved from 2Renewable Energy

2 Choice () What Carbon Offsets Are. Retrieved from * Project activities (Max 250 words) This proposal is requesting funding from the SGEF for the purchase of RECs and Cos to help USF achieve its GHG emissions reduction goal of 10%. The Office of Sustainability and Facilities Management at USF have been developing strategies to achieve the climate commitment of reducing GHG emissions. One of the easiest and quickest approach to do this would be to consider the purchase of RECs and COs. After some discussions with Renewable Energy Choices and Webinar presentation, we found out that the option we are considering in this proposal is feasible. This project does not involve project management or financial commitment for project implementation. The project entails: GHG inventorying of USF Tampa campus. Identifying reduction targets and to meet President s Climate Commitment. Identifying number of REC s and Carbon Offsets needed taking into account completed and ongoing projects that will help reduce GHG. Competitively purchasing minimum number of needed REC and Carbon Offsets. * Project results (Max 500 words) The proposed project will help USF to reduce its GHG emissions by 10% and we will meet our 2015 milestone target. Campus energy use will be reduced by 10% to meet our 2015 milestone target a commitment signed by the President Genshaft in 2008 * Outcomes of the project (Max 250 words) In addition to the USF campus GHG emissions reduction this project will make USF the first university in the state of Florida and one of the few higher education institutions to do so. Buy purchasing the RECs, USF we will become an EPA Green Power Partner. This partnership provides expert advice, tools and resources, credibility, and publicity and recognition. USF Tampa campus energy use will be reduced by 10%. USF Tampa campus will meet President s Climate Commitment. Students will have the opportunity to learn about REC s and Carbon Offsets through publicity and participation in the process. USF will join an elite list of institutions and environmentally conscious industries who are actively working on GHG reduction. By purchasing the RECs, we will become an EPA Green Power Partner. This partnership provides expert advice, tools and resources, credibility, and publicity and recognition. * Annual Energy Savings 0 kwh Annual Cost Savings $0.00 Return of Investment in % 0.00 Annual Green House Gas Reduction 0.00

3 * Project Sustainability (Max 200 words) The requested fund in this proposal will be able to purchase RECs and COs that are valid for one year. In order to ensure that we meet our GHG emissions reduction targets, USF will continue the number of energy conservation programs, energy efficient technology implementations and renewable energy projects that have been ongoing over the past several years. The recent GHG report ( ) indicates that USF s energy consumption per square foot or per person has been reducing over the past years. This is very encouraging and USF will continue to capitalize on this to further reduce its GHG emissions. As more projects on campus are completed, industry partnerships are built, improvement on solar energy policies are passed, and the reduction in cost for low impact technology, we propose that we use RECs and COs to aid in retaining our 10% reduction rate to meet our 2015 goal. With our next interim milestone emission-reduction target of 20% by 2025, it is important to cost effectively utilize funding that will impact GHG on campus. Section 4: Workplan and Budget Details * Detailed work plan/schedule of activities (Max 250 words) This project involves the purchase of RECs and Cos. The fund will be fully utilized to finance the purchase and there are no other cost involved. If this proposal is approved, we plan to execute the project with one to two months period. * Budget breakdown Category Request from SGEF Applicant contribution Total Personnel (include all involved) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Equipment $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Supplies/Materials $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Contractual $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Construction $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Other (specify in budget justification) $50, $0.00 $50, Total Project Cost $50, $0.00 $50, * Budget justification (Max 250 words) Green technology and reducing GHG are expensive. For instance, the estimated 634,995 kwh/yr solar array that will go on the Marshall Student Center costs over $1 million and reduces 13,000 tons of CO2. As the campus uses 30MW of energy (excluding energy from gas), it would take over $9 million to reduce GHG on campus by 10% if we were to use solar energy. 1 REC is equivalent to 1 MWh and 1 CO is equivalent to 1 metric ton of C02. Hence the RECs and the Carbon Offsets would be the best approaches to most cost effectively reduce our GHG immediately and hit our 2015 goal. Based on the current rate of $1 per MWh for the REC and $2 for each CO, the requested fund of $50,000 will be able to reduce the 50,000 kwh necessary for the 10% reduction goal from baseline set in Upload File: No votes added. No comments added.

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