City of Toledo Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Prepared By:
Xue Ding
Clint Messner
Santosh Pant
Joseph Blake Quinton
Adam Szabo
Submitted To:
The City of Toledo
Defne Apul-Assistant Professor, The University of Toledo /
CIVE 6900/8900 Sustainable Science and Engineering
12/13/2010
1
Abstract
The University of Toledo’s Sustainability Engineering class worked closely with many departments within The City of Toledo to compile an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. Scope 1 and Scope 2 green house gas (GHG) emissions were calculated for the year 2009 in metric tons CO2e. The city emitted a total of 301,400 MTCO2e in the year 2009. A breakdown of emission sources shows that the facilities sector emits 69% percent of the total GHG emissions for the city, the vehicle fleet 16%, the landfill 14% and the wastewater treatment plant 1% from process/post process emissions. Looking at the different processes that cause the emissions, electricity purchased accounts for the majority of total emissions, 62%. These inventories will be used by the city to build an energy and greenhouse action plan. This plan will help the city set goals towards energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the following people for their valuable advice and assistance throughout this project:
DefneApul-Assistant Professor, The University of Toledo
Tim Murphy: City of Toledo, Commissioner of Environmental Services – Path Smoother
Julian Highsmith: City of Toledo, Commissioner of Facility & Fleet Operations – Buildings & Vehicles
John Welber: City of Toledo, Alt Administrator Facility & Fleet Operations - Facilities
Jeff Croskey: City of Toledo, Administrator of Fleet Operations – Vehicles & Fuel
John Walthall: City of Toledo, Manager of Water Treatment - Water Treatment
Mike Carson: City of Toledo, Sr. Process Control Analyst – Water Reclamation
Carol Eggert: City of Toledo, Public Service Officer 2 – HFC Emissions for laboratories
Bob Kossow: City of Toledo, P.E. – HFC Emissions
Lori Smigielski: City of Toledo Supervisor of Utility Accounting - Accounting
Barb Jones: City of Toledo, Acting Commissioner of Transportation - Lighting
Karen Okonta: Hull & Associates, Project Manager – Landfill Gas
Chris Windnagle: Hull & Associates– Landfill Gas
Kevin Rellinger: Shaw Group – Landfill Gas
Jon Sluis: Plante& Moran, CPA– Renewable Energy
Mark Frye: Palmer & Associates – Electricity & Natural Gas
Anne Schenk: Palmer & Associates – Electricity & Natural Gas
Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Equations
List of Appendices
1.0Introduction
2.0Scope and Objectives
3.0Site Description
4.0Overview of Protocol
5.0Raw Data
5.1Facilities
5.2Solid Waste Facilities
5.3Drinking Water Treatment and Delivery Facilities (WTP)
5.4Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTP)
5.5Traffic Signals
5.6Vehicle Fleet
6.0Calculations
6.1Scope 1 emissions
6.1.1Buildings
6.1.2Wastewater Treatment Facility
6.1.3Landfill
6.1.4Vehicles
6.2Scope 2 emissions
6.2.1Buildings
7.0Results and Discussion
7.1Scope 1 Emissions
7.2Scope 2 Emissions
7.3Total Emissions
7.4Recommendations for emission reductions
8.0Conclusions
9.0Future Work
10.0Appendices
10.1Appendix: Raw Data
10.2Appendix: References
List of Tables
Table 51: Raw Data Collection
Table 52: Facilities Quantity Data
Table 53: Collins Park Water Treatment Plant Natural Gas Use
Table 54: Bay View Water Reclamation Facility Natural Gas Use
Table 71: Scope 1 Emissions by Sector
Table 72: Scope 2 Emissions by Sector
Table 73: Scope 2 Emissions by Source
Table 74: Total Emissions by Scope
Table 75: Total Emissions by Sector
Table 76: Total Emissions by source
Table 77: Total Emissions by Process
List of Figures
Figure 71: Scope 1 Emissions by Sector
Figure 72: Scope 2 Emissions by Source
Figure 73: Total Emissions by Sector
Figure 74: Total Emissions by Sector
Figure 75: Total Emissions by Source
Figure 76: Total Emissions by Process
List of Equations
Equation 61: Scope 1 Building CO2 Emissions
Equation 62: Scope 1 Building CH4 Emissions
Equation 63: Scope 1 Building N2O Emissions
Equation 64: CO2e calculation
Equation 65: CO2e calculation
Equation 66: CO2e calculation
Equation 67: CO2e calculation
Equation 68: Stationary CH4 Emissions from Incomplete Combustion of Digester Gas
Equation 69: Process N2O Emissions from WWTP with Nitrification/Denitrification
Equation 610: Process N2O Emissions from Effluent Discharge
Equation 611: Total Wastewater Emissions (metric tons CO2e)
Equation 612: Emissions from Landfills with Comprehensive LFG Collection Systems
Equation 613: Scope 1 Vehicle CO2 Emissions
Equation 614: Scope 1 Vehicle CH4 Emissions
Equation 615: Scope 1 Vehicle N2O Emissions
Equation 616: Scope 2 Building CO2 Emissions
Equation 617: Scope 2 Building CH4 Emissions
Equation 618: Scope 2 Building N2O Emissions
List of Appendices
Appendix 101: Facilities and Vehicle Fleet Budget
Appendix 102: Facilities and Vehicle Fleet Raw Quantity Data
Appendix 103: Hoffman Road Landfill Data
Appendix 104: Vehicle Fuel Data
1
1.0Introduction
Only in modern times has society embraced the idea that the environment is not an indestructible resource and there are consequences arising from peoples chosen lifestyle.As a result of this awareness there is a movement to implement sustainable practices on every scale possible to reduce any negative impact humans are having on the environment. There are many ways to quantify these harmful effects, one of which is measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have been linked to global climate change by scientific consensus.By conducting a greenhouse gas emissions inventory the City of Toledo is taking the first step in becoming more sustainable and recognizing the importance of preventing climate change. The City is conducting this inventory by partnering with the University of Toledo.Methods presented by Local Government Operations Protocol for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions inventories were followed.
The benefits resulting from the development of a city of Toledo GHG inventory are varied and numerous. One of the greatest benefits being that the city will be able to gain insight into its inefficiencies.The city will gain an understanding of how to modify and/or redesign operations and processes to reduce emissions, save energy, and ultimately save money.It will create a benchmark for the city to compare itself to other local governments.The city will be prepared to respond to any potential GHG regulations in the future. Also, by conducting this inventory the city is setting an example as an environmental leader in the area.Complete, consistent and accurate measurement enables local governments to assess their risks and opportunities, track their progress, and create a strategy to reduce emissions in a quantifiable and transparent way (ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, 2010).
This document represents The University of Toledo’s completion of a GHG emissions inventory for the city of Toledo following Local Government Operations Protocol.Emissions in the protocol are split up into scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissions to separately account for direct and indirect emissions, and to improve the utility of the resulting data.Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from sources the city controls. Scope 2 emissions are secondary source emissions, emissions from sources used by the city but not produced or controlled by the city.Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions, from sources related to the city but for which the city has no operational control over.This document quantifies the vast majority of the scope 1 and 2 emissions, being as thorough as data and time constraints allowed.Scope 3 emissions are considered optional for reporting and were not included in this report.
2.0Scope and Objectives
The goal of this project was to account for and determine all major Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions using the operational control definition from the “Local Government Operations Protocol, Version 1.1”.Following the calculation of emissions for the City of Toledo, recommendations were provided on how to reduce these emissions.Comparisons were also made to similar cities.
3.0Site Description
The City of Toledo is located in Lucas County in the Northwest corner of Ohio.The city borders Michigan and straddles the Maumee River which discharges into the most western part of Lake Erie. It has a population of 316,179making it the fourth most populous city in Ohio and encompasses and area of nearly 84.4 square miles, which is approximately 24% of Lucas County.
4.0Overview of Protocol
This carbon inventory was conducted using guidelines presented by Local Government Operations Protocol: For the Quantification and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories. This Protocol was developed through a partnership of California Air Resources Board, California Climate Action Registry, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, and The Climate Registry. Its purpose is to provide a standardized set of guidelines for local governments to quantify and report GHG emissions.
An operational control approach was taken when conducting this inventory, meaning if the city had the full authority to introduce and implement its operating policies at the operation, the GHGs from that operation were included in the inventory.
Emissions from the six internationally-recognized GHGs regulated under the Kyoto Protocol were accounted for: Carbon dioxide (CO2); Methane (CH4); Nitrous Oxide (N2O); Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
5.0Raw Data
Although we were provided data from many sources, much of it proved to be incomplete. Thus, much of our data is derived from the 2010 Annual Operating Budget. The 2010 budget has the actual dollars spent from 2009. This data can be seen in appendix 10.1. We gathered the average amount spent per unit of energy and computed the total amount of energy purchased, as seen in appendix 10-2. This data was further verified by checking it against what the Energy Information Administration says is the normal amount of energy used per square foot (6-25 watts for region 5). Toledo came in at 10 watts/ft2.
A list of the raw data that has been collected is provided in the listed below.Data that is not provided is either not available from the city or has not been received yet.
Table 51: Raw Data Collection
Data Type / Data Sources (2009)Buildings (Electricity) / Electricity Usage Data (kWh) for 285+ Buildings
Buildings (Natural Gas) / Natural Gas Usage (MMBTU)
Drinking Water Treatment Plant / Natural Gas and Electricity Cost ($)
Wastewater treatment plant / Population Served, Fraction of CH4 in biogas
Solid Waste Facilities / Estimated Total SCF & MMBTU
Vehicle Fleet / Vehicle Inventory, Odometer Readings, Fleet Manager
Traffic Lights / Electricity Usage Data (kWh)
5.1Facilities
The City of Toledo has 285 buildings and nearly 50 other facilities that use natural gas or electricity.These other facilities include pump stations, recreational facilities and other semi-enclosed buildings.A partial set of data on electrical use for buildings and natural gas use by the city was obtained.The inconsistencies in the data were made up for by converting dollar amounts listed in the 2010 Annual Operating Budget for 2009budget. We would have liked to compare the cities energy use by building to other cities, but due to the combined use of most buildings it proved impossible.
Table 51 shows the total electricity and natural gas usage for the year 2009 derived from the budget data. The budget data can be seen in Appendix 101 and Appendix 102.
Table 52: Facilities Quantity Data
Electricity (MWh) / Natural Gas (MMBtu)261,406.66 / 373,835.95
Electricity costs were actual city electricity costs for the city for the year 2009. Natural gas costs were those estimated by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2010).
5.2Solid Waste Facilities
The Hoffman Road Landfill (HRL) serves The City of Toledo and the surrounding suburbs. HRL is an Environmental Protection Agency regulated landfill with a comprehensive landfill gas (LFG) collection system. Shaw Group provided us with data covering 2009 LFG emissions.
The total amount of gas released from the landfill for the year 2009 was 642.9 MM SCF which converts to 339,401 MMBtu’s. Appendix 103 list more specific raw data and how this number was obtained.
5.3Drinking Water Treatment and Delivery Facilities (WTP)
The City of Toledo owns and operates one water treatment plant, the Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. This treatment plant serves over 500,000 people from eight major customers: Toledo (Ohio), Wood County (Ohio), Sylvania (Ohio), Maumee (Ohio), Monroe County (Michigan), Perrysburg (Ohio), and Northwest and Southwest Lucas County (Ohio). It is responsible for filtering an average of 80 million gallons of water per day (mgd). The source of raw water for the treatment plant is Lake Erie.
Data on electrical use for the city was first obtained through Palmer Energy. A Comparison of this data was made by converting dollar amounts listed in the 2010 Annual Operating Budget for 2009 budget into electrical usage. The electrical usage for the year 2009 was 20,472 MWh, the number was taken directly from palmer energy.
Natural gas data was obtained from the 2010 Annual Operating Budget for 2009 budget. There was no differentiation between natural gas used at the WTP and WWTP, so it was assumed that the breakdown was 50/50. The natural gas usage was 39,593 MMBtu for the WTP and can be seen in Table 53.
Table 53: Collins Park Water Treatment Plant Natural Gas Use
Gas Expenditure / Rate / Usage(MMBTU)$ 261,149.00 / $6.60 per MMBtu / 39,593
5.4Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTP)
The City of Toledo Bay View Water Reclamation Facility provides wastewater treatment services for the City of Toledo and the following outlying areas: Village of Walbridge, City of Northwood, City of Rossford, and Northern Wood County.The total population served in 2009 was 363,500 with an annual average daily flow rate of 76.2 million gallons per day (mgd) with a peak flow of 102 mgd.). Historically, methane generated at the facility was flared off. A few months ago a co-gen system was started to convert it into electricity.Following the unit treatment processes, the effluent is discharged to the Maumee River and the sludge is disposed of at the Hoffman RoadLandfill and is used as fertilizer by area farmers.
Data on electrical use for the city was first obtained through Palmer Energy. A Comparison of this data was made by converting dollar amounts listed in the 2010 Annual Operating Budget for 2009 budget into electrical usage. The electrical usage for the year 2009 was 37,251 MWh, the number was taken directly from Palmer Energy.
Natural gas data was obtained from the 2010 Annual Operating Budget for 2009 budget. There was no differentiation between natural gas used at the WTP and WWTP, so it was assumed that the breakdown was 50/50. The natural gas usage was 39,593 MMBtu for the WWTP.
Table 54: Bay View Water Reclamation Facility Natural Gas Use
Gas Expenditure / Rate / Usage(MMBTU)$ 261,149.00 / $6.60 per MMBtu / 39,593
5.5Traffic Signals
The city is in the process of converting all the traffic signals over to LED, this project will be completed in July 2011. When completed this will decrease the per signal head energy consumption by 80%. Sixty percent of the signal heads have been converted to LED as of September of 2010. There are a total of 4,000 signal heads and 3,400 pedestrian heads that control 525 intersections. The 2009 data for stoplights was provided by Toledo’s Transportation Department in kWh/yr, this value was 3,150,583 kWh for 2009.
5.6Vehicle Fleet
The city owns over 1900 vehicles. These are everything from gas powered floor sweepers to automobiles to heavy trucks to large scale construction equipment. The Department of Facilities Administrator of Fleet Operations provided us with a complete list of all transportation equipment. This data was broken down by year, make and model, plus the cumulative amount of miles (or hours) on each vehicle. Our team then broke the vehicles down into construction/off road equipment, automobiles, trucks, and other based on whether each group used diesel or 87 octane gasoline. Due to the complexity of this data, it is not included in this report and can be viewed at
The Department of Facilities Administrator of Fleet Operations also provided partial fuel use data. This data was used to calculate the average amount the city paid per gallon and to determine the ratio of diesel to regular fuel. We then took the $10 million of fuel purchased in the 2010 Annual Operating Budget and split it up based on the dollar ration of diesel to gasoline purchased. A ratio of approximately 1.39 gallons of diesel to 1 gallon of gasoline was used. This gave us approximate dollars of diesel and gasoline purchased. We then took the dollars of gasoline purchased and divided it by the cost of gasoline per gallon and got the number of gallons purchased; we did the same thing for diesel; A cost of $2.16 per gallon was used for gasoline and a cost of $2.12 per gallon of diesel. This resulted in 2,939,964 gallons of diesel and 2,083,399 of gasoline. This data can be seen in Appendix 101, Appendix 102, and Appendix 104.
6.0Calculations
6.1Scope 1 emissions
6.1.1Buildings
Annual natural gas consumption from 2009 was calculated from the natural gas purchased in the 2010 Annual Operating Budget. Natural gas consumption is measured in MMbtu. Equations 6-1, 6-2, and 6-3 were utilized to calculate the GHG emissions due to natural gas usage.
Equation 61: Scope 1 Building CO2 Emissions
Equation 62: Scope 1 Building CH4 Emissions