Climate Action Planning at Rice University Richard R. Johnson Admin. Center for Sustainability and Energy Management 27 April 2016
Mid 2000s: Climate Change Reaches Mainstream
Rice University Commits to Go Climate Neutral
Topics Part 1: Higher Ed Institutions and Climate Change Progress Across Higher Ed Part 2: Rice University Carbon Footprint and Plans to Become Carbon Neutral Rice Scope 1 Emissions Rice Scope 2 Emissions Rice Scope 3 Emissions Carbon Sequestration
Part 1: Higher Ed Institutions Combat Climate Change
ACUPCC Progress Report, Sept 2014 Step 1: Sign the Commitment 684 signatory institutions, representing about 7.5M students (over 1/3 of higher education) Step 2: Conduct and Emissions Inventory 629 institutions have submitted at least one emissions inventory Step 3: Develop a Climate Action Plan 537 Climate Action Plans submitted Typical target carbon neutral date: 2045-2050 70 institutions (13%) have set a target by no later than 2025. Step 4: Implement Plan 315 campuses have shown an emissions reduction (average of 19%) Source: ACUPCC, http://www2.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/acupcc-progress/summary-september2014.pdf
Part 2: Rice University s Carbon Footprint and Plans to Become Carbon Neutral
Rice Integrated Climate & Energy Master Plan USE LESS BUY GREEN SEQUESTER CARBON
Source: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_the-sustainable-business-case-book/section_08/d6f6e72c6167122a739893205efed7cc.jpg Scopes of Emissions
9% Reduction in Rice CO2 Emissions in FY15 Sources: UNIV 303, 1999; CHBE/ENST 281, 2007-2012
9% Reduction in Rice CO2 Emissions in FY15 Rice s emissions per sf and the distribution by scope are fairly typical for doctorate-granting universities Sources: UNIV 303, 1999; CHBE/ENST 281, 2007-2013; ACSEM
Rice Scope 1 Emissions
Scope 1
Plant Optimization Project: Key Question At any given time, what equipment should the plant operators run in order to meet campus energy needs as cheaply as possible?
Rice Scope 2 Emissions
Scope 2
Rice Greens its Electricity Procurement at No Increase in Cost!
Rice University Solar Face-Off: Rice Vs. Germany Germany Solar: ~7.25%
Jones South Solar
Source: ERCOT Texas Electricity Continues to Get Cleaner ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS ENERGY BY FUEL TYPE FOR 2016 Updated 4/7/2016 ENERGY BY FUEL TYPE, MWh Fuel Types Jan* Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YTD/Annual Natural Gas 12,720,786 10,199,407 11,985,984 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 34,906,177 Coal 6,853,636 4,997,696 3,135,064 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 14,986,397 Nuclear 3,687,939 3,556,202 3,775,758 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 11,019,899 Wind 4,099,732 4,685,351 5,207,229 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 13,992,313 Solar 43,640 53,536 51,619 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 148,795 Water 94,432 51,357 81,997 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 227,786 Net DC/BLT -13,091-13,719 40,146 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 13,336 Other 50,992 55,224 39,147 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 145,364 Total 27,538,068 23,585,055 24,316,945 #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 75,440,067 ENERGY BY FUEL TYPE, PERCENT Fuel Types Jan* Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YTD/Annual Natural Gas 46.2% 43.2% 49.3% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 46.3% Coal 24.9% 21.2% 12.9% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 19.9% Nuclear 13.4% 15.1% 15.5% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 14.6% Wind 14.9% 19.9% 21.4% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 18.5% Solar 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0.2% Water 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0.3% Net DC/BLT 0.0% -0.1% 0.2% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0.0% Other 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 0.2% Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A #N/A 100.0% *Information for 2016 for this month has been updated based on final settlements. Companies are not required to notify ERCOT when their dual fuel units are using secondary fuel. Therefore, values shown here are calculated based on primary fuel type and may not exactly reflect the fuels being used by dual fuel units. Dual fuel units are included in the category of their primary fuel. A positive value in the 'Net DC/BLT' row indicates import of power, negative indicates export. "Other" includes solar, petroleum coke, landfill gas, biomass solids, biomass gases, and any unknown fuel.
Demand-Side Energy Management
Rice Scope 3 Emissions
Scope 3: About 10% of the Total in FY15* * - This represents a collection of first-order approximations based on a series of class projects over a span of several years. Sources: UNIV 303, 1999; CHBE/ENST 281, 2007-2012
Scope 3: Status Category Year(s) Conducted Comments Faculty/Staff Air Travel 2006, 2013 In footprint Student Air Travel 2006, 2010 In footprint Faculty/Staff Commuting 2006, 2010, 2013 In footprint Student Commuting 2006, 2010, 2013 In footprint Solid Waste / Recycling 2006 In footprint Meat Consumption 2012, 2016 Not part of ACUPCC; Not in Rice footprint Building Materials (Rec Center) 2013 Not part of ACUPCC; Not in Rice footprint Food Transportation 2011, 2016 Not part of ACUPCC; Not in Rice footprint Food Production 2011, 2016 Not part of ACUPCC; Not in Rice footprint Water Consumption 2009 Not part of ACUPCC; Not in Rice footprint
Carbon Sequestration
The Rice Land Lumber Company
Q: How can the construction of a new building be good for the environment?
Source: Dr. Ning Zeng, University of Maryland, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Design for the Carbon Cycle
Building Materials: CO2 Storage vs. Emissions As long as the wood does not burn or decompose, the carbon remains locked (or sequestered) inside the wood. By comparison, creating 1 m³ of concrete causes 1,400 kg of CO2 emissions, and 1 ton of steel causes 3,629 kg of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.
Design With CLT
Largest CLT Project in the World (by Volume) 122 Apartments Only 2 tons of steel in entire project 80-90% reduction in deliveries, 1 story completed every 3 weeks 3,200 metric tonnes of CO2 sequestration
Student Housing in Heidelberg 265 students Ready for occupancy 5 months after slab completion 3,000 tons of CO2 sequestered Source: LiWood
What If?
A Few Thoughts About RICEMaP The Climate Action Plan should be viewed as a starting point. Scope 3 emissions and projected emissions from new growth are covered by carbon sequestration from the Rice Land Lumber Company property. Is this the right approach? New opportunities continue to emerge How comfortable are we with the greenhouse gas inventory? Does it include everything it needs to include?
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