GHG Emissions and Carbon Footprint WorkshopTacoma, WASeptember 29, 2009

Developing a GHG Inventory: SPU’s Initial Experience

Paul FlemingManager, Climate & Sustainability GroupSeattle Public Utilitiespaul.fleming@seattle.gov

Purpose of Briefing

Background on climate change and water Water sector engagement SPU’s experience

Motivation Methodology Data collection Lessons Learned

Climate Change and Water

Climate Change and Water: IPCC Technical Paper VI

Precipitation and runoff variable by location

Supplies based on glaciers and snowpack will decrease

Water quality affected, as well as food production and other processes

Water infrastructure impacted, adaptation options require demand-side and supply-side strategies

Gaps in knowledge with observations and research

“According to many experts, water and its availability and quality will be the main pressure on, and issues for, societies and the environment under climate change.” - IPCC Technical Paper VI

Mitigation and Adaptation

Greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation can avoid, reduce or delay the impacts of climate change

Some impacts are unavoidable due to past emissions, hence the need for adaptation

Complementary approaches to a comprehensive climate strategy: Mitigation limits the magnitude of

climate change Adaptation limits the impacts of climate

change

“A portfolio of adaptation and mitigation measures can diminish the risks associated with climate change”- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007

Water Sector Engagement

Water Sector Activity on Climate Change:

AWWA Climate change committee Significant focus on geologic

sequestration issue and groundwater quality

Water Research Foundation Multi-year strategic research initiative:

Objective 2 focused on GHG inventories and footprints

www.theclimatechangeclearinghouse.org Project #4156

WERF Multi-year research focus White paper on adaptation Werf.org

Water Sector Activity on Climate Change:

AMWA Climate change committee Focus on federal legislation http://amwa.net/cs/climatechange

Water Utility Climate Alliance White papers on climate modeling

and decision support systems Focus on:

Adaptation Collaboration with research community Federal legislation and administrative

actions http://www.wucaonline.org/html/

SPU’s Experience

City of Seattle Context

Mayor Nickels’ national leadership: 995 Mayors signed on to Climate

Protection Agreement

Seattle’s Climate Action Plan Major depts to develop GHG reduction

targets and action plans

Seattle City Light Leadership on mitigation 2005: first major US electric utility to

achieve “no net emissions” Member of CA Climate Action Registry

(CCAR)

SPU’s Motivation

Support Seattle’s Climate Action Plan Develop understanding of our emissions Complement our focus on adaptation

Methods for Calculating a GHG Inventory

Similar, overlapping methods: World Resources Institute Dept. of Energy 1605b program ICLEI CCAR

CCAR: Same method as City Light Met of So. CA, LADWP members Easy to use online tool – CARROT Method for verification Forerunner for national registry, The

Climate Registry

SPU’s Context

Three lines of businesses: Water Drainage and wastewater Solid waste

Three sources of power and three emissions factors: SCL (electric) PSE (electric) PSE (thermal)

Collected data for ’06 – ’08 “Dry run” for ‘06 inventory Plan to verify ‘08 inventory

SPU’s Experience: Data Collection

Classic disconnect: Energy user and energy bill payer

Accounts Payable collected energy data: Labor intensive Not available electronically More than 300 line items

Aggregated data into asset types, e.g.: Treatment facilities Fleets Pump stations

SPU’s Experience: Outstanding Questions

Methane at historic landfills: Optional Ownership issues Methodology issues

Airline travel Optional

Handling treatment facilities: Owned by SPU, operated by outside parties Billed by PSE, supplied by SCL

Using #4156 architecture Extend to drainage/wastewater and solid waste?

SPU’s Experience: Lessons Learned/Next Steps

Lessons Learned: Data collection and management challenge Need for dedicated staff time Methodology issues

Next Steps: Finalize and verify ‘08 inventory Establish baseline Establish reduction targets

Future policy questions: Climate neutral? Incorporate into asset management framework?

Options for Utilities

Calculate GHG inventory for internal purposes: Purely informational or mechanism to track and/or

reduce emissions

Calculate GHG inventory, certify and report it: Same as above, but with higher profile, issues of

public expectations

Develop carbon management strategy: More holistic approach, inclusion of CO2 implications

for CIP and programmatic decisions

Thank You