seattle academy carbon sequestration project seattle academy of arts & sciences alex brewer kyle...

Seattle AcademyCarbon Sequestration Project

Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences

Alex BrewerKyle Shurtleff

June 2010

Seattle AcademyCarbon Footprint

(2008-2009 school year)

Direct Financed Air Travel

Purchased Electricity

Student & Faculty Commuting

Direct Financed Transportation Solid Waste

WastewaterPaper Purchasing

All Other

Carbon Footprint Data

Category

Emissions (metric tons CO2 equivalent) Percentages

Direct Financed Air Travel 646 38.2%Purchased Electricity 316.6 18.7%Student & Faculty Commuting 284.7 16.8%Direct Financed Transportation 261.3 15.5%Solid Waste 64.5 3.8%Wastewater 56.5 3.3%Paper Purchasing 1.9 0.1%All Other 59.1 3.5%Total 1690.6 100.0%

Primary Goals To become a carbon neutral institution; To create non-tuition derived cash flow; To prove that carbon neutrality is an

economic reality for Seattle Academy; To investigate if carbon neutrality could

be an economic reality for a broad range of urban, suburban, and rural schools.

Team Students, from the class of 2010

forward; Currently Alex Brewer and Kyle Shurtleff.

Preliminary work by Page Ive, Andy Healey and the Environmental Studies class.

Lead Advisor Dexter Chapin Faculty, Administration and Board of

Directors. The broader Seattle Academy

community of parents and supporters.

Stipulated Assumptions Anthropogenic carbon dioxide, as well

as other anthropogenic greenhouse gases, are engendering climate change;

There is a demand and a market for individual and corporate amelioration;

This project combines education, service, non-tuition income, and amelioration.

Organizational Context Seattle Academy has the conditions

socially and environmentally to simultaneously educate and ameliorate climate change. Internally, the culture of performance; Externally, an educated, environmentally,

socially, and economically committed and supportive community;

Legally, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization who can act as a conservation easement trustee, meeting the requirements of 509(a)(2).

Business Summary Seattle Academy initially offsets its total

organizational carbon emissions. Sustainable forestry practices and sales of

carbon credits begin to generate institutional income from year 6 onward. Sustainable harvesting of hybrid poplar and

long-rotation selective harvesting of conifers and broadleaf trees.

Monitoring and sale of ex-post carbon credits.

Sequester carbon in a mixed forest on a clear-cut, purpose donated or leased/loaned, parcel of approximately 60 hectares in the Cascade foothills.

SAAS Advantages As far as we know, no other school in

the country is doing this Broad interest and support among

administration, faculty, and students School’s entrepreneurial culture

Sequestration Projections

Sequestration Projections

1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57 65 73 81 89 97 1051131211291371451531611691771851930

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides Hybrid OP367

Years

Tota

l C

arb

on S

equeste

red(

t C

O2 p

er

hecta

re)

Sequestration Projections

1 9 17 25 33 41 49 57 65 73 81 89 97 1051131211291371451531611691771851930

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

Total Carbon Sequestered

Years

Tota

l C

arb

on S

equeste

red (

t

CO

2

)

Sequestration Projectionst CO2 per hectare Year 1 Year 15 Year 50 Year 100+100% Conifer 4.390 6.010 10.170 8.02150:50 Split (conifer/broadleaf)

5.955 6.765 8.845 7.771

100% Broadleaf 7.520 7.520 7.520 7.520100% Hybrid Poplar 72.2 72.2 72.2 72.2

Land Required to Immediately Offset SAAS Emission 100% Conifer – 385 hectares 50:50 Conifer/Broadleaf split – 280 hectares 100% Broadleaf – 225 hectares 100% Hybrid Poplar – 23.4 hectares

Credit Value Projections

 Credit Price

Year 1 Year 15 Year 50 Year 100+

$5.00 $8,411.00 $8,573.00 $8,989.00 $8,774.10

$10.00 $16,822.00

$17,146.00 $17,978.00 $17,488.20

$15.00 $25,233.00

$25,719.00 $26,967.00 $26,232.30

$20.00 $33,644.00

$34,292.00 $35,956.00 $34,976.40

Sustainable Forestry

FSC Certification Long-term Forest Management

Plans Direct Sales / Local Marketing

Process and Goals1st year:

Locate and negotiate use of land Topography dependent planning

With input from UW and WADNR Reserve and procure seedlings from

Webster Forest Nursery (WADNR) Seasonal planting

Conifers and broadleaf trees at approximately 380 units per hectare

Hybrid poplar at approximately 1700 units per hectare

Process and Goals2nd to 6th years: Additional planting Selective cutting for carbon analysis.

6th year: Begin hybrid poplar harvesting. Additional planting Selective cutting carbon analysis

Process and Goals6th year onward: Maintain optimal planting density Continue poplar harvesting with an

aggressive 6 year rotation Begin selling carbon credits in year 15 Begin conifer/broadleaf harvesting with

a sustainable 40-50 year rotation.

Financials1st year: Costs:

Travel to meetings and activities between Olympia and Monroe; unknown

Direct costs of involved faculty; unknown Seedlings for pilot planting/5 hectares; est.

$1,000 Planting tool sets/12 sets; est. $800 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,500

Income: none Goodwill: “It’s such a SAAS thing to do.”

Financials2nd year: Costs:

Travel to activities in Monroe; unknown Travel to Olympia is reduced; unknown but low

Direct costs of involved faculty; unknown Seedlings/25 hectares; est. $5,500 Planting tool sets/36 sets; est. $2,600 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,700

Income: none Goodwill is increasing as PR increases at

PNAIS, etc.

Financials3rd and 4th year: Costs/year:

Travel to activities in Monroe; unknown Direct cost of faculty; unknown Seedlings: 3rd year est. $5,600, 4th year est.

$1,000 Planting tool sets/10 sets; est. $900 General overhead and expenses; est. $2,800 Income: none Goodwill: Continues to spread through word-

of-mouth, local media, etc.

Financials6th year Costs/year:

Costs will stabilize at about the level for the 4th year

New costs may be incurred putting in an education/retreat center based on ten platforms, guide tents, a well, and associated equipment

Goodwill: maintained at high level Income: First poplar cuttings sold at $2/bf

Resource Requirements at Start Up

Non-financial Planning and technical support from State

and University Departments Input from potential harvesters and

buyers Financial

Startup costs of seedlings, tools, utility vehicle, etc.

Land, insurance, and overhead, including staffing

Organizational RewardsSAAS would Be carbon neutral, and in a position of

community leadership Have a non-tuition income stream for

scholarships, and development of program and facilities

Have gained an educational/retreat center that can be used in multiple ways to further the goals and culture of the school

Have a recognized brand

Educational RewardsStudents would Have a place-based, experiential,

expeditionary, opportunity to learn in an interdisciplinary, authentic manner both in and out of class.

Be exposed to the complexity of scientific, economic, and socio-cultural facets of making a project work.

Develop a long-term, vested interest and understanding of sustainability issues

Near-term Key Issues Is acreage available?

Donation, long-term rent, loan? What don’t we know?

Don’t underestimate our ignorance. Are possible mentor/models available?

Commercial, academic, government What resources are available to explore

this effort?

Long-term Key Issues What is the impact of Cap and Trade? How do we maintain the integrity of the

SAAS project so that only realized offsets are sold?

How do we maintain interest, enthusiasm, and support for ongoing project?