Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Biology 354: Investigations in Plant Ecology Engineering 333: Advanced Thermal System Design Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Introduction Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Brian Medema

Class Mandate What would it take to make Calvin College Carbon Neutral? Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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. Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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 CH 4 has equivalent global warming potential to 23 tons CO 2 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Climate Change Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Why Carbon Neutrality? Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change –Fifth Report issued Nov 17 th, 2007 –Climate change is unequivocal –Human activity has caused most of the warming in the last 50 years From Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Effects of an Overall Warmer Earth Loss of sea ice. Rising sea levels. Shrinking Coastlines. Shifting vegetation zones. Effects Developed and Developing Nations differently. Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Global Warming – Global Effects Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment Signatories commit to: –Inventory their CO 2 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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment 448 college presidents have signed –At start of semester, less than 80 signatories Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Emissions Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Jessica Driesenga

What is Calvin College’s “Carbon Footprint?” Create an inventory of Emissions and Sequestration Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Emissions Summary Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Emissions Breakdown Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project (MTCE/yr)

Sequestration Breakdown Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Comparison Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Carbon Sequestration (MTCE/yr) Carbon Emissions (MTCE/yr) Total Sequestration: 51 MTCETotal Emissions: 66,400 MTCE

Emissions Reductions Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Dan VandenAkker

Comparison Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Carbon Sequestration (MTCE/yr) Total Sequestration: 51 MTCETotal Emissions: 66,400 MTCE Carbon Emissions (MTCE/yr)

Carbon Reduction Options Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Carbon ReductionCostratio [MTCE/year][$][$/MTCE/year] Monthly EV gift for students1.25$240,000.00$17, Campus Safety in EVs0.96$80,000.00$7, Calvin owned bikes1.258$3,000.00$2, Adding Lake Dr. Bike lane and path14.93$21,000.00$1, Full Rapid Subsidization264$94,492.00$ Renewable Energy Production5548$820,000.00$76.00 Green Energy purchase*-19571$724,000.00$37.00 Carbon Offset purchase ∞ $9.00 Temperature Drop3555($172, )($48.00) Daily commuter fees with increased rates678($83,000.00)($122.58) * Renewable Energy is not completely carbon free

Carbon Reduction Options Green Energy Purchasing Carbon Offset Purchasing Conservation Renewable Energy Production Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Reduction Options 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). Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Reduction Options Carbon Offset Purchasing –EU is trading carbon offset credits at about US$ per metric ton of CO2 –However, TerraPass.com sells carbon offsets for 11 US$ per metric ton of CO2 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Reduction Options 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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Reduction Options Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project 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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Neutrality Plan 4 Wind Turbines Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project 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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Neutrality Plan Minimize Commuter Traffic Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Neutrality Plan Carbon Offset Credits Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Comparison Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Carbon Sequestration (MTCE/yr) Total Sequestration: 51 MTCETotal Emissions: 51 MTCE Carbon Emissions (MTCE/yr) Total Emissions: MTCE

Financing Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project 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. Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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. Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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. Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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 : 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 Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Conclusion Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project Brian Medema

What We’ve Learned How Calvin Functions –Physical infrastructure –Financial Decisions Biologists and Engineers –Outdoors vs. Computer labs Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

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! Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Emissions Trading Simulation Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Emissions Trading Simulation Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Carbon Neutrality is Hard Sequestration isn’t viable for us Reduce emissions: –Consume less –Be more efficient with what we consume Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Next Steps Establish a Green Energy Fund –Tuition –Donations –Money from Energy Savings Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Next Steps Implementation –Dorm Temperature drop –Increased Parking fees –Subsidize the Rapid for students –Calvin Rentable Bikes Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Next Steps Public Awareness –Calvin Bikes –Bike lane on Lake Drive –Electric Vehicles for Campus Safety and other service vehicles Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Next Steps Become Carbon Neutral –Administration’s support –Finalized plan –Installation of green power sources Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Acknowledgments VP Henry DeVries Mr. Paul Pennock Professor Piers Professor Dornbos Professor Heun Professor Warners Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project

Questions Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project