calvin college carbon neutrality project

Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Biology 354:

Investigations in

Plant Ecology

Engineering 333:

Advanced Thermal

System Design


Introduction


Brian Medema

Class Mandate

What would it take to make

Calvin College Carbon Neutral?


Outline

• What is Carbon Neutrality?

• What is Calvin’s current footprint?

• What can we do to achieve Carbon Neutrality?

• Present our plan to be Carbon Neutral in 11 years.


What is Carbon Neutrality?

• Carbon footprint is a net term. Footprint = emissions – sequestration Reduce emissions or increase

sequestration

Carbon Neutrality is when emissions are equal to sequestration When the footprint = 0


Why Carbon?

• Carbon Dioxide is the primary Green House Gas (GHG) emitted.

• All other GHGs can be thought of as equivalent to Carbon Dioxide.– 1 ton CH4 has equivalent global

warming potential to 23 tons CO2


Climate Change

Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Projecthttp://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/greenhouse.GIF

Why Carbon Neutrality?

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change– Fifth Report issued Nov 17th, 2007– Climate change is unequivocal– Human activity has caused most of the

warming in the last 50 years

• From http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ipcc2007.html#cite1


Effects of an Overall Warmer Earth

• Loss of sea ice.

• Rising sea levels.

• Shrinking Coastlines.

• Shifting vegetation zones.

• Effects Developed and Developing Nations differently.


Global Warming – Global Effects


http://www.index-china.com/index-english/china_map_index.htm

http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.asia.india.html

American College and University

Presidents Climate Commitment

• Signatories commit to: – Inventory their CO2 emissions

– Set target date to become Carbon Neutral– Take immediate steps to reduce GHG

emissions– Integrate sustainability into curriculum– Make action plan, inventory and progress

reports publically available


American College and University

Presidents Climate Commitment

• 448 college presidents have signed– At start of semester, less than 80

signatories


http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/

Project Scope

• Calvin College is responsible for:– All building operations (utilities)– Construction of new buildings– Food and Waste disposal– Daily commuter traffic– Service vehicle traffic– Calvin sponsored air travel

• Not responsible for vacation travel


Emissions


Jessica Driesenga

What is Calvin College’s “Carbon Footprint?”

• Create an inventory of Emissions and Sequestration


http://mingled.co.uk/designs/images/large-icons-carbonfootprint.gif

Emissions Summary


Emissions Breakdown


(MTCE/yr)

Sequestration Breakdown


Comparison


Carbon Sequestration (MTCE/yr)

Carbon Emissions(MTCE/yr)

Total Sequestration: 51 MTCE Total Emissions: 66,400 MTCE

Emissions Reductions


Dan VandenAkker

Comparison



Total Sequestration: 51 MTCE Total Emissions: 66,400 MTCE


Carbon Reduction Options


Carbon Reduction Cost ratio

[MTCE/year] [$] [$/MTCE/year]

Monthly EV gift for students 1.25 $240,000.00 $17,454.55

Campus Safety in EVs 0.96 $80,000.00 $7,575.76

Calvin owned bikes 1.258 $3,000.00 $2,385.38

Adding Lake Dr. Bike lane and path 14.93 $21,000.00 $1,407.00

Full Rapid Subsidization 264 $94,492.00 $358.53

Renewable Energy Production 5548 $820,000.00 $76.00

Green Energy purchase* -19571 $724,000.00 $37.00

Carbon Offset purchase ∞ $9.00

Temperature Drop 3555 ($172,000.000) ($48.00)

Daily commuter fees with increased rates 678 ($83,000.00) ($122.58)

* Renewable Energy is not completely carbon free


• Green Energy Purchasing

• Carbon Offset Purchasing

• Conservation

• Renewable Energy Production



• Green Energy Purchasing– Green energy has a 5¢/kW-hr surcharge.

This is in addition to the 10¢/kW-hr fee.– To completely offset Calvin’s carbon

footprint due to electricity usage would cost 1.1 million dollars. This is 1.2% of Calvin’s annual budget ($92 million).



• Carbon Offset Purchasing– EU is trading carbon offset credits at

about 32.95 US$ per metric ton of CO2– However, TerraPass.com sells carbon

offsets for 11 US$ per metric ton of CO2



• Conservation– Decreasing temperature in all buildings

by 3 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and 10 degrees during Christmas break would save about $172,000 and 3,555 MTCE (5.4% of total emissions)

– Reduce electrical consumption• Turn off computers at night• Shut off lights when leaving a room




• Wind Turbine Installation– 800 kW of Power Capability– Estimated annual power

production of 2053 MW-hr/yr

– Unaided Payoff Period of 10.9 years

– Net Present Value $820,000

Neutrality Plan

• Install 4 Wind Turbines• Offsets the emissions from energy purchasing

and use.

• Awareness

• Implement options to minimize commuter traffic

• Purchase Carbon Offset Credits to cover remaining emissions


Neutrality Plan

4 Wind Turbines


Year 2008 2013 2018 2023 2028 2033 2038 2043Activity

E55 Wind Turbine Number 1 * **E55 Wind Turbine Number 2 * **E55 Wind Turbine Number 3 * **E55 Wind Turbine Number 4 * **

* = Year of Installation** = End of 20 Year life Cycle

Option of Continual Wind Turbine Replacement

This plan calls for a new wind turbine to be built every 5 years. The wind turbines will be paid off in 5 year periods using money saved from lower

heating bills and a small amount of upfront capital.

Neutrality Plan

Increase Awareness


Neutrality Plan

Minimize Commuter Traffic


Neutrality Plan

Carbon Offset Credits


Comparison



Total Sequestration: 51 MTCE Total Emissions: 51 MTCE


Total Emissions: 66400 MTCE

Financing


Joe Englin

Total Neutrality Costs

• An upfront investment of $8,500,000 would be required to make Calvin College carbon neutral for 35 years.

• This would be done primarily though the wind turbine project and carbon offset purchasing.


Implementation

• Ideally, this plan would be implemented immediately, however $8,500,000 is a lot of money.

• If we decide to implement the plan 10 years from now, we need to save $1,050,000 per year.

• From that point on, we will have enough funding to stay carbon neutral for 35 years.


Community Values

• We need to set an example for the community, even if it means spending more.

• Examples of this would be dorm renovations and fully subsidizing the Rapid.

• If we decided to push neutrality back one year, we could fund these projects.

Sources of Funding

• Increased Parking Fees – This will help reduce carbon emissions and generate funding.

• Raise Tuition – In addition to the increased parking fees, a 1.16% tuition increase would be required to fund this project.

• Government Grants. • Donations.


46 Year Timeline

Year 1: Increase tuition 1.16%Years 1-11: Save 82% of funds generated

per year for carbon neutrality, spend 18% on green energy projects

Year 11: Use the $8.5 million saved from years 1-11 to fund 35 years of carbon neutrality

Years 11- 46: Deposit money saved into “Green Energy Account” and use it to fund other projects.

46 Years From Now

• The wind turbine proposal will save Calvin a total of $15,800,000.

• The money generated by the tuition increase could be saved and invested in new green energy technology


Conclusion


Brian Medema

What We’ve Learned

• How Calvin Functions– Physical infrastructure– Financial Decisions

• Biologists and Engineers– Outdoors vs. Computer labs


What We’ve Learned

• Carbon Emissions Trading Simulation– Studied our own emissions

• Driving• Heating/Cooling• Watching TV• Using a computer• Machine Drying clothes

• Reducing emissions is HARD!


Carbon Emissions Trading Simulation


Carbon Neutrality is Hard

• Sequestration isn’t viable for us

• Reduce emissions:– Consume less– Be more efficient with what we consume


Next Steps

• Establish a Green Energy Fund– Tuition– Donations– Money from Energy Savings


Next Steps

• Implementation– Dorm Temperature drop– Increased Parking fees– Subsidize the Rapid for students– Calvin Rentable Bikes


http://es.geocities.com/circulaenbici/

Next Steps

• Public Awareness– Calvin Bikes– Bike lane on Lake Drive– Electric Vehicles for Campus Safety and

other service vehicles


Next Steps

• Become Carbon Neutral– Administration’s support– Finalized plan– Installation of green power sources


Acknowledgments

• VP Henry DeVries

• Mr. Paul Pennock

• Professor Piers

• Professor Dornbos

• Professor Heun

• Professor Warners


Questions


calvin college carbon neutrality project

Documents

carbon footprint

carbon dioxide

sequestrationcarbon

climate changefifth

calvins current footprint

rising sea levels

curriculummake action

primary green house