Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Methodology & Analysis
David Palange Graduate Intern August 2008 for Maryland Department of Natural Resources Office for a Sustainable Future
Acknowledgements This project would not have been possible without the assistance of my advisory team, consisting of Zoë Johnson, Joel Dunn, David Burke, Steve Koehn, John Sherwell, Christine Conn, and Sean McGuire. Data on the Department of Natural Resource’s (DNR) vehicle fleets, facilities and DNR lands was integral to the GHG Inventory analysis. Thanks to the following people for providing data on the vehicle fleet: Debbie Nagel, Debbie Thompson, Laverne Pinkney, Captain Sharon Brannock, John Gallagher, Lt. Brian Martin, Dennis Smith, and Jeffy Dunmire at Commercial Fuel Systems (CFS). Thanks to the following people for providing data on facilities: Diane Russell, Rich Norling, Jordan Loran, John Moore, Allen Pitts, Bill Harclerode, and Dan Hayman and Steve Noonan at the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS). Thanks to the following people for providing data and information on DNR lands: Gene Piotrowski, Pamela Bush, and Jean Lipphard. Lastly, I would also like to thank Watershed Services Unit for housing me in their unit.
Financial assistance provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A report of the Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program, Department of Natural Resources pursuant to NOAA Award No. NA05NOS4191142.
Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Key Findings of DNR’s Carbon Footprint......................................................................................... 1 Scope of Analysis............................................................................................................................. 2 Protocol........................................................................................................................................... 3 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Vehicle Fleet and Mobile Combustion................................................................................ 3 Highway Vehicle Fleet............................................................................................................. 3 Aircraft fleet ............................................................................................................................ 5 Marine Fleet............................................................................................................................ 6 Off‐road Vehicle Fleet, Heavy Trucks and Equipment............................................................ 8 Facilities .............................................................................................................................. 9 Leased buildings.................................................................................................................... 11 Fuel Oil #2 ............................................................................................................................. 11 Propane and Natural Gas...................................................................................................... 11 Biomass ................................................................................................................................. 12 Electricity............................................................................................................................... 12 Transport Fuels – Carbon Dioxide Emissions.................................................................... 13 State Pump Fuels .................................................................................................................. 13 Aircraft fuel ........................................................................................................................... 14 Marine fleet fuels.................................................................................................................. 14 DNR Facility Pump Fuels ....................................................................................................... 15 Transport Fuels – CH4 and N20 Emissions......................................................................... 16 Highway Vehicle Fleet........................................................................................................... 16 Alternative fuel vehicles ....................................................................................................... 17 Aircraft fleet .......................................................................................................................... 17 Marine fleet .......................................................................................................................... 17 Off‐road and heavy vehicle fleet .......................................................................................... 17 Stationary Combustion – Greenhouse Gas Emissions...................................................... 18 Fuel Oil #2 ............................................................................................................................. 18 Propane/Natural Gas ............................................................................................................ 18 Biomass ................................................................................................................................. 19 Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions ................................................................................. 20 Electricity............................................................................................................................... 20 Results........................................................................................................................................... 20 Carbon Cutting Strategies ............................................................................................................. 24 Emission Reduction Strategy Simulation ...................................................................................... 26 Offsets ........................................................................................................................................... 27 References .................................................................................................................................... 28
Table of Figures Figure 1: DNR Highway Vehicle Fleet, FY 2008 ............................................................................... 3 Figure 2: Highway Vehicle Fleet Mileage by Unit, FY 2008 ............................................................ 4 Figure 3: Dollars spent at DGS pumps, FY 2006‐2008 .................................................................... 5 Figure 4: Gallons by fuel type purchased at DGS pumps, FY 2006‐ 2008....................................... 5 Figure 5: Gallons of jet fuel consumed by DNR, FY 2006‐2008 ...................................................... 6 Figure 6: DNR Motorboat Fleet, FY 2008........................................................................................ 7 Figure 7: DNR Motorboats by Unit, FY 2008................................................................................... 7 Figure 8: Relative % Dollars Spent on Marine Fuel by Unit, FY 2006 ............................................. 8 Figure 9: DNR Off‐Road Vehicles, FY 2008...................................................................................... 8 Figure 10: Off‐road and Heavy Vehicle Fleet, FY 2008 ................................................................... 9 Figure 11: DNR Buildings and Facilities Statistics, FY 2008........................................................... 10 Figure 12: Area (square feet) of DNR buildings by Unit, FY 2008................................................. 10 Figure 13: Dollars Spent on Fuel Oil #2, FY 2006‐2008................................................................. 11 Figure 14: Dollars Spent on Propane/Natural Gas, FY 2006‐2008................................................ 12 Figure 15: Total dollars spent on electricity by DNR units, FY 2006‐2008 ................................... 13 Figure 16: Carbon dioxide emission factors by transportation fuel ............................................. 14 Figure 17: DNR GHG Emissions, FY 2006 ...................................................................................... 20 Figure 18: GHG Emissions by transport fuel source, FY 2006....................................................... 21 Figure 19: Facility Emissions by Energy Source, FY 2006.............................................................. 22 Figure 20: Facility Emissions by Unit, FY 2006 .............................................................................. 22 Figure 21: FY 2006 breakdown of DNR GHG Emissions................................................................ 23
Introduction On April 20, 2007, Governor O’Malley made two decisions that landed Maryland on the map as a state committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions: 1) Joining the Northeast and Mid‐ Atlantic Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and 2) Establishing the Maryland Commission on Change by Executive Order. The Maryland Climate Commission interim report recommended that: “The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) should adopt a “lead by example” approach for a pilot forest carbon sequestration demonstration project to reduce emissions and offset a portion of DNR’s carbon footprint; then replicate and transfer appropriate demonstration elements to other state agencies (e.g. Maryland Department of Transportation).” A critical component of this project was to develop an estimate of DNR’s carbon footprint taking into account the Department’s electrical, heating and cooling, transportation and other uses. Over the summer of 2008, a graduate intern conducted a greenhouse gas inventory analysis to determine DNR’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 baseline emissions.
Key Findings of DNR’s Carbon Footprint •
In the FY 2006 baseline year, Maryland DNR produced 17,284 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
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The total CO2 emissions from Maryland DNR is equivalent to 3,166 passenger cars, 40,196 barrels of oil, 2,289 households’ annual electricity use, or 196 acres of deforestation.
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DNR’s vehicle fleets are responsible for 52% of the agency’s emissions and indirect emissions, and stationary combustion at DNR’s facilities is responsible for the remaining 48%. The DNR highway vehicle fleet (e.g. cars, trucks, SUVs and vans) is responsible for 74% of the mobile combustion emissions. CO2 was responsible for 99% of the total greenhouse gas emissions. The remaining 1% was due to methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
• •
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Scope of Analysis Maryland DNR’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory focused on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, which correspond to direct emissions from mobile and stationary combustion and indirect emissions from electricity. For the analysis, only emissions from vehicles and facilities owned and operated by DNR were considered. Therefore, the emissions generated from leased facilities such as the Tawes State Office Building and commuting in personal vehicles were not included in the final number. Furthermore, emissions from three of the six greenhouse gases defined by the Kyoto protocol were quantified: CO2 (carbon dioxide), N2O (nitrous oxide) and CH4 (methane). Due to an absence of data on refrigerant purchases, hydrofluorcarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs) emissions could not be estimated. As DNR does not operate electric transmission equipment, it is not a source of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Scope 1: Direct Emissions • Emissions from sources that the agency owns or controls o Stationary Combustion to produce electricity, steam, heat or power using equipment in a fixed location o Mobile combustion of fuels in transportation sources (e.g., cars, trucks, marine vessels and planes) and emissions from non‐road equipment such as in construction, agriculture and forestry o Physical and chemical processes other than fuel combustion o Fugitive sources such as unintentional releases from the production, processing, transmission, storage, and use of fuels and other substances (e.g. hydrofluorocarbon releases during use of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment)
Scope 2: Indirect Emissions • Emissions that are a consequence of activities that take place within the agency, but that occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity o Consumption of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heating, or cooling Scope 3: Optional Reporting o Employee business travel o Employees commuting to and from work o Upstream emissions from the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels. o Downstream emissions from the recycling of used products Source: The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol, 2008
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Protocol The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol (TCRGRP) was used to calculate DNR’s carbon footprint. The protocol draws from multiple reputable GHG programs and protocols developed by the World Resources Institute/World Business Council for Sustainable Development, International Organization for Standardizations (ISO) 14064‐1, California Climate Action Registry, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Background Vehicle Fleet and Mobile Combustion DNR’s vehicle fleet of 1,941 vehicles is a combination of 48% highway vehicles, 30% off‐road vehicles, 21% motorboats and 1% aircraft. Of the 14 units in DNR, MD Park Service and Natural Resources Police (NRP) own and operate the majority of vehicles. In FY 2006, it was estimated that DNR purchased over 990,000 gallons of transport fuel, 86% of which was gasoline. Highway Vehicle Fleet The DNR highway vehicle fleet consists of 936 vehicles (FY 2008). The breakdown was 70% pick‐up trucks, 18% cars, 8% vans, and 7% SUV’s (Figure 1). The MD Parks Service (Unit 4) and Natural Resource Police (Unit 7) operate 59% of the vehicles. The fleet total has not increased more than 20 vehicles over the last five years (pers. comm., 2008).
Figure 1: DNR Highway Vehicle Fleet, FY 2008
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In FY 2008, the highway fleet mileage logged 13,207,326 miles, an average of 14,095 miles per vehicle; NRP and MD Park Service logged 63% of the miles. In general, more miles were driven in the summer and spring with a dip in fall season (Figure 2). Pick‐up trucks, which comprise 70% of DNR’s highway vehicle fleet, were responsible for up 62% of the annual miles traveled in FY 2008. The majority of DNR’s highway vehicles fill up at gas stations managed by Maryland’s Department of General Services (DGS). Records of fuel sales are kept by Commercial Fuel Systems, an independent contractor, and provide a breakdown of gallons purchased by fuel type across the different units. Vehicles that do not fill up at DGS fill stations obtain fuel at DNR‐facility based pumps (i.e. state parks) and private stations.
Figure 2: Highway Vehicle Fleet Mileage by Unit, FY 2008
Due to the rise in fuel costs from FY 2006 to FY 2008, DNR purchased 7% fewer gallons at DGS pumps while spending 16% more (Figures 3 and 4). Although this would seem to indicate that DNR is consuming less gas, the trend indicates that more highway vehicles are filling up at gas tanks based at DNR facilities.
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Dollar Spent at DGS pumps 2,200,000 2,100,000 Dollars
2,000,000 1,900,000 1,800,000 1,700,000 1,600,000 1,500,000 FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
Year
Figure 3: Dollars spent at DGS pumps, FY 2006-2008
Gallons
Transport Fuel ‐ State Pumps 900000 800000 700000 600000 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0
Diesel Biodiesel Gasoline Ethanol CNG FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
Year
Figure 4: Gallons by fuel type purchased at DGS pumps, FY 2006- 2008
In FY 2008, DNR purchased nine types of fuel at DGS pumps as compared to six in FY 2006. The increase was due to the addition of ethanol and low sulfur versions of diesel and biodiesel. Unleaded gasoline comprised 95% of the more than 700,000 gallons purchased at DGS pumps. Some noticeable trends in highway fleet fuel purchases from FY 2006 and 2008 have been the transition from diesel to biodiesel (B5), the phasing out of compressed natural gas, and the first purchases of ethanol. All of this activity, however, represents 5% of gallons sold at DGS pumps. Aircraft fleet NRP operates two helicopters and a plane out of Easton Airport. The absence of pilots over the last two years has resulted in a drop in jet fuel consumption (Figure 5).
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Figure 5: Gallons of jet fuel consumed by DNR, FY 2006-2008
Marine Fleet Of the 683 marine vessels owned and operated by DNR, 413 have motors. Of all the motorboats, 87% have outboard motors and 13% have inboard motors (Figure 6). The outboard motors are predominantly dependent on a gasoline/oil mix, though there is a small fleet of large diesel‐powered boats within NRP (pers. comm., 2008). All inboard motors are powered by gasoline. MD Park Service, NRP and Fisheries operate 85% of the motorboat fleet (Figure 7). NRP was responsible for 86% of the marine fuel purchases in FY 2006 (Figure 8). Out of the Matapeake (Eastern) Office, NRP operates approximately 21 larger vessels greater than 25 feet long, which include 13 inboard and 2 diesel‐powered vessels. Additionally, there are more than 107 small gas/oil mix outboard motorboats measuring less than 25 feet long. Hydrographic Operations (HO) within NRP operates 3 diesel‐powered ice breaking buoy tenders, averaging 83 feet long. These buoy tenders are used on a year round basis, with the highest use during years with ice; average use for all is 3 days a week. HO’s 8 smaller gasoline‐powered boats, averaging 19 feet in length, are utilized 8 months of the year, five 19‐23 footers are utilized 4 days a week, two 16 footers 1 ‐ 2 days a week and the 16 foot Woodbridge a few days a year. Boats obtain fuel at five main sources: 1) state‐owned marinas, 2) private marinas, 3) state parks with fuel docks, 4) U.S. Coast Guard stations, and 5) at land‐based DGS pumps. In general, large and/or active vessels fill up at marinas and parks with fuel docks, whereas small and/or less active vessels are being encouraged to fill their boats at land‐based DNR facility and DGS pumps on trailers to save on fuel costs (pers. communication, 2008). In this case, active refers to boats that rarely leave the water due to daily activity.
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Figure 6: DNR Motorboat Fleet, FY 2008
Figure 7: DNR Motorboats by Unit, FY 2008
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Figure 8: Relative % Dollars Spent on Marine Fuel by Unit, FY 2006
Off‐road Vehicle Fleet, Heavy Trucks and Equipment The MD Park Service owns and operates the majority of the 589 off‐road and heavy trucks, which include various vehicle types such as tractors, lawnmowers, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, bulldozers, loaders, backhoes, etc. (Figures 9 and 10). According to the DNR Fiscal and Supportive Services Inventory System, there are 113 heavy trucks, 50 of which are dump trucks. Equipment is classified as fuel‐powered tools that are not self propelled. Some of the equipment items include stump grinders, snowblowers and leafblowers, drills, cranes, and chippers.
Figure 9: DNR Off-Road Vehicles, FY 2008
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Figure 10: Off-road and Heavy Vehicle Fleet, FY 2008
Facilities In total, DNR owns and operates 140 facilities with buildings. Across these 140 facilities, there are 1752 utilized and 160 non‐utilized buildings for a total of 1,912 (Figure 11). 88% of total buildings and 84% of the area (GSF) of the buildings are operated by MD Forestry and Parks Service (Figure 12). In total, there is 2,881,783 GSF of building area across the 1,912 facilities, of which 2,640,505 is utilized. The average age of the utilized buildings is 52 years whereas the average age of the non‐utilized buildings is 82. 63% of the utilized buildings are considered in “Good” condition.
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Figure 11: DNR Buildings and Facilities Statistics, FY 2008
Figure 12: Area (square feet) of DNR buildings by Unit, FY 2008
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Leased buildings DNR has seven facilities under operating leases that are occupying 33,404 GSF of office space and 3,400 GSF of storage space. DNR is also leasing 223,124 square feet of office space from DGS, 96% of which is the Tawes State Office building in Annapolis. All the leased buildings combined have an area of 259,928 square feet. For this analysis, however, leased buildings were not included. Fuel Oil #2 Fuel oil #2 is purchased by DNR facilities for heating purposes, specifically for use in hot water boilers and furnaces. In FY 2008, DNR spent $367,668.15 on fuel oil#2, a 47% jump from FY 2007 (SMART financial database, 2008). MD Park Service was responsible for 69% of the dollars spent (Figure 11). This is representative since parks own 121 boilers and 120 furnaces dependent on fuel oil #2, 87% of the fuel‐oil dependent equipment in DNR.
Figure 13: Dollars Spent on Fuel Oil #2, FY 2006-2008
Propane and Natural Gas In FY 2008, DNR spent $298,669 on propane and natural gas. This is an 11% increase from FY 2006, which is most likely caused by rising prices. It is assumed that 100% of these costs are going to propane. Parks are responsible for 69% of the propane/natural gas purchases.
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Figure 14: Dollars Spent on Propane/Natural Gas, FY 2006-2008
Biomass Since 1996, Greenbrier State Park has operated a hot water wood boiler 7 days a week from November 15 to February 15 (pers. comm., 2008). The system assists in heating the offices and visitor’s center. There are over 90 wood burning stoves reported in the inventory that are available to heat DNR facilities. Some are being phased out as they pose fire hazards. It is unclear how much the average stove is used and the amount of wood fuel that is necessary given that the buildings they serve are different sizes. More information needs to be collected before analysis can be conducted. Electricity Dollars spent on electricity have increased 15% from FY 2006 to FY 2008 most likely given the price increase in kilowatt‐hours. On average, the MD Parks Service comprises 70% of all electricity purchases (Figure 14).
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Figure 15: Total dollars spent on electricity by DNR units, FY 2006-2008
Transport Fuels – Carbon Dioxide Emissions State Pump Fuels Carbon dioxide emissions for all vehicles fueling up at state pumps were calculated using an annual report from Commercial Fuel Systems (CFS). CO2 emissions were calculated by multiplying the total gallons of each fuel type by the CO2 emission factor of each fuel type and adding up all the emissions (Figure 13) (Table 13.1, TCRGRP, p, 93). The calculation yielded kilograms of CO2, which was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor of 1kg = 10‐3 metric tons. Gallons of “Unleaded Regular,” “Unleaded Con,” and “Gas con Mid” all were categorized as unleaded gasoline and thus shared the same emission factor. Likewise, “ULS Diesel,” which represents ultra‐low sulfur diesel, was matched with the diesel emission factor. The carbon emission factor for ethanol (E85) was calculated assuming a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and the emission factor for biodiesel and “Bio ULSD” (B5) was quantified assuming a blend of 5% biodiesel and 95% diesel (pers. comm., 2008).
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TCRGRP, 2008 Figure 16: Carbon dioxide emission factors by transportation fuel
Aircraft fuel Carbon dioxide emissions for DNR’s aircraft fleet were based off of fuel purchase records kept by NRP Aviation. CO2 emissions were calculated by multiplying the total gallons of jet fuel by its CO2 emission factor (Table 13.1, TCRGRP, p, 93). The calculation yielded kilograms of CO2, which was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor of 1kg = 10‐3 metric tons. Marine fleet fuels CO2 emissions were calculated by multiplying the estimated gallons of gasoline and diesel purchased by its CO2 emission factor (Table 13.1, TCRGRP, p, 93). The calculation yielded kilograms of CO2, which was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor of 1kg = 10‐3 metric tons. Estimating the total amount of gallons of diesel and gasoline consumed by marine vessels is explained below. Given the decentralized system of reporting gallons of fuel purchases, marine vessel fuel consumption in FY 2006 was estimated based on dollars spent on fuel as recorded in the SMART financial database. This amount was calculated by adding dollars spent for budget codes 702 (Gas & Oil – Watercraft) and 721 (Watercraft and Trailers – Gas & Oil) across all units. It was assumed that the sum should capture the majority of the corporate card purchases that are used to purchase fuel at private marinas (pers. comm., 2008). Gallons were then estimated by dividing the total dollars spent on fuel type by the average price per gallon.
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Personal communication with Somers Cover Marina revealed that DNR state marinas select their fuel rate charges based on an average of what other marinas in Maryland are charging. Thus, the Somers Cove Marina price per gallon rate proved to be a reasonable estimate for an average marine fuel rate at marinas. For estimates of average price per gallon for non‐marina pumps, Commercial Fuel Systems prices were used. There were two areas of ambiguity in estimating gallons of fuel purchased for marine vessels: 1) determining what percentage of fuel purchased was gasoline vs. diesel and 2) estimating what percentage of fuels was purchased at the different sources. To address the first issue, personal communication revealed that the majority of motorboats owned and operated by the unit depend on gasoline. Less than 4% of the NRP fleet are diesel vessels, although all are larger vessels (>25 feet) with three active ones exceeding 68 feet in length. For the sake of this analysis, it was assumed that 80% of all fuel purchased by the marine fleet was gasoline and 20% was diesel. Another option that was considered, but not implemented was to calculate a range for gallons purchased. This option would assume in scenario 1 that 100% of fuel purchased was gasoline and in scenario 2 that 100% of the fuel purchased was diesel. The range option would also require a range to be calculated for CO2‐e, with the higher emissions estimate stemming from diesel fuel. The second issue reflected the difficulty in estimating an average fuel cost per gallon across all marine vessels. As mentioned above, there were five alternative locations for filling up stations, which charge different prices depending on the facility. In general, marinas tend to charge 10‐15% more than park and DGS pumps (pers. comm., 2008). As of the last two years, NRP officers have been encouraged to fill up at state facilities, USCG facilities and Commercial Fuel System facilities as much as possible. It was assumed that marinas and park stations were the dominant fuel sources in FY2006. For the analysis, it was assumed that 75% of purchases were made at marinas and 25% were made at non‐marina pumps. DNR Facility Pump Fuels Carbon dioxide emissions were calculated using gallons of fuel estimated from dollars spent at DNR facility pumps. Fuel consumed by off‐road and DNR vehicles over a ton was estimated based on FY 2006 spending in the SMART database. A dollar amount of $2,054,787.48 was calculated by summing the monthly budget codes 701 (Gas & Oil, Land Vehicle), 731 (Other Land Vehicles – Gas & Oil) and 742 (Passenger Vehicles – Gas Oil), which gave the total for all fuel purchases for DNR land vehicles. Next, the total dollar amount of the Commercial Fuel Systems invoice was summed to obtain the total amount of dollars spent at DGS operated pumps: $1,772,106.11. Subtracting the Commercial Fuel Systems total from the total of the aforementioned budget code totals yielded the $282,681.37 dollars spent on fuel at DNR facility pumps and through corporate card purchases of fuel. As in the case of marine vessels, it was impossible to determine what percentage of fuel purchased was gasoline vs. diesel. The total capacity of tanks for unleaded and diesel fuel across all DNR facilities was estimated at 114,500 and 33,210 gallons respectively. Using these figures, it was assumed then that diesel demand is only 29% compared with 71% for gasoline.
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Dollar amounts were translated into gallons using an average price per gallon estimate. The estimate was calculated using invoice averages for diesel and gasoline from the time period in question from a fuel distributor that serves DNR facility service stations. For this analysis, any fuel purchased by facilities in FY 2006 was assumed to be combusted during the same fiscal year.
Transport Fuels – CH4 and N20 Emissions Highway Vehicle Fleet CH4 and N20 emissions were calculated for DNR highway vehicles using data captured by the Web Fleet Master. DNR fleet coordinators created a report in Excel format for FY 2006 displaying vehicle type number, model, year, and official miles for the year. Vehicles were classified into three classes for the analysis: “cars” and “LTVS” (light trucks, vans and SUVs) and “heavy‐duty vehicles.” Vehicle types were classified according to the Index to Purchase Standards for Maryland Fleet Vehicle FY 2009. Cars were categorized as type 1‐4, LTV’s were categorized as type 5‐19, and heavy‐duty vehicles were 20 and up. Motorcycles were not included in this analysis. Once the query was obtained, all vehicles were sorted by type number in Excel. Cars were separated from LTVs, sorted by model year and the miles for all cars in each year category were summed using a pivot table; the same analysis was conducted for LTVs. As heavy trucks are not listed in Web Fleet Master database, no analysis was necessary. It was not possible to obtain the total mileage for all the vehicles in 2006 as trade‐ins are eliminated from the database each year. Miles for 788 vehicles were captured in the database, about 84% of the total vehicles present in 2006. For the analysis, it was assumed that the breakdown of vehicles and model years among the 788 vehicles was the same as the remaining 16% of vehicles. To achieve the new mileage estimates, the mileage for 788 vehicles was multiplied by 1.16, and divided amongst all the vehicle types and years relative to their mileage. CH4 and N20 emissions were quantified for the highway vehicle fleet based on default CH4 and N20 emission factors by model year (Table 13.4, TCRGRP, p, 95). Mileage broken down by model year and vehicle types was multiplied by the corresponding CH4 and N20 emission factors. The resulting mass (grams) was summed across all vehicle types by individual greenhouse gas and converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. No values were available on the Climate Registry’s lookup table for emission factors pertaining to vehicles prior to 1986 and post‐2006. If these values become available they should be added to the Conversions‐Factors section of the tool.
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Alternative fuel vehicles Despite an increase in the purchase of flex‐fuel cars, no highway vehicles were designated “alternative fuel vehicles” as part of the analysis. This is a result of the small percentage of alternative fuels being purchased by the DNR fleet at state pumps, which is a response to the lack of infrastructure supporting the distribution of alternative fuels. To more accurately capture the CH4 and N20 emissions of vehicles using alternative fuel, the actual mileage of highway vehicles running on alternative fuels (i.e. ethanol) would need to be calculated. These miles may likely be found in monthly reports for flex‐fuel cars operated by the DNR Headquarters fleet in Annapolis. It is not possible, however, to track the mileage of highway vehicles filling up with alternative fuels at DNR facility pumps. In FY 2006, there were 2 alternative fuel vehicles fueling up with compressed natural gas. Records of their annual distance have been deleted from database since they were traded in before the reports were run. Thus, the GHG emissions from these vehicles, albeit minimal, were not captured. Aircraft fleet CH4 and N20 emissions were quantified for the aircraft fleet based on default CH4 and N20 emission factors for jet fuel (Table 13.6, TCRGRP, p. 96). Gallons of jet fuel type were multiplied by the jet fuel emission factor to obtain a mass for each greenhouse gas. The mass in grams was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. Marine fleet CH4 and N20 emissions were quantified for the marine fleet based on default CH4 and N20 emission factors for gasoline and diesel fuel (Table 13.6, TCRGRP, p. 96). Gallons of each fuel type were multiplied by the appropriate emission factor to obtain a mass for each greenhouse gas. The mass in grams was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. Off‐road and heavy vehicle fleet Many assumptions had to be made due to lack of information on the relative breakdown of vehicle types, fuel type of the vehicles, and frequency of use of off‐road/other vehicles. More research is needed to refine the assumptions. For the analysis, the following assumptions were made: 1) On the whole, mowers and ATVs are used more frequently than the tractors, bulldozers, snowmobiles, loaders, backhoes and heavy trucks. 2) Different vehicles were labeled with the following vehicle types: mowers were “agricultural equipment”; ATVs were “other recreational vehicle”; tractors, backhoes, loaders and bulldozers were lumped as “Construction” (diesel fuel); and all the heavy non‐highway trucks were “Other large Utility (Diesel).”
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3) For highway vehicles, the emission factors chosen for pick‐ups trucks were the average from 2002‐2005 as they represent the most common vehicles in parks and in the DNR highway vehicle fleet. 4) Fuel use of these frequently used vehicles was assumed to be 71% gasoline and 29% diesel, based on information gathered on facility fuel tanks. 5) Based on the breakdown of off‐road and heavy vehicles found in the inventory, the following assumptions were made: 1) For diesel, 50% of the gallons were consumed by agricultural equipment, 25% by other large utility (diesel) and 25% by construction; and, 2) For gasoline, 50% of the fuel was consumed by heavy trucks, 30% by agricultural equipment and 20% by other recreation vehicles. Gallons of each fuel type were multiplied by the appropriate emission factor to obtain a mass for each greenhouse gas. The mass in grams was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents.
Stationary Combustion – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fuel Oil #2 For FY 2006, the number of gallons was estimated by dividing the total dollars spent on fuel oil #2 by the average price per gallon. Dollars spent on fuel oil was obtained from the SMART database, Budget Code 601. The price per gallon was estimated at $2.37, which was calculated using an Energy Information Administration (EIA) average residential rate for Maryland in FY 2006 ($2.47) and subtracting ten cents a gallon as a discount to state agencies (pers. comm., 2008). The total amount of gallons purchased was calculated as 106,691 gallons. For the analysis it was assumed that all gallons of fuel oil #2 that were purchased were burned within the same fiscal year. The emission factor of fuel oil #2 was listed as “Distillate Fuel Oil (#1, 2, & 4)” under the U.S. Default Factors for Calculating CO2 emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion (Table 12.1, TCRGRP, p. 74). The total number of estimated gallons were multiplied by the emission factor and converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1kilogram=10‐3 metric tons. For N2O and CH4 emissions, default emission factors for petroleum products (residential) were used (Table 12.9, TCRGRP, p. 81). The mass in grams was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. Propane/Natural Gas Records of actual gallons of propane and natural gas purchased were not available at the time of the analysis. Using financial data in the SMART database (Budget code 604) and EIA’s average residential price per gallon for Maryland in FY 2006, the total amount of gallons were
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estimated. Since propane and natural gas were both lumped in the same budget code, the breakdown of dollars spent on each type of gas was unclear. The building feature database listed did not specify what gas the 174 water heaters, furnaces, and boilers depended on. However, conversations with Engineering and Construction staff revealed that the majority of gas purchased by DNR was propane. Therefore, it was assumed that 100% of the dollars went to the purchase of propane. Given a rate of $2.31/gallon, it was estimated that 114,921 gallons of propane were purchased and assumed to be consumed in FY 2006. Total gallons of propane were multiplied by the propane emission factor found under the U.S. Default Factors for Calculating CO2 emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion (Table 12.1, TCRGRP, p. 74). The total number of estimated gallons was multiplied by the emission factor and converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1kilogram=10‐3 metric tons. N20 and CH4 emissions were not calculated. For N2O and CH4 emissions, default emission factors for petroleum products (residential) were used (Table 12.9, TCRGRP, p. 81). The mass in grams was converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1gram=10‐6 metric tons. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert the latter emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. Biomass At Greenbrier State Park, the total amount of wood burned per season was estimated between 6‐10 cords, with each cord weighing 1500 pounds (pers. communication, 2008). That equates to a range of between 9000‐15000 pounds of wood per year. The upper end of the range was used to act as a conservative estimate. The CO2 Emission Factor for “Wood and Wood Waste” was utilized to calculate the amount of CO2 emissions (Table 12.2, TCRGRP, p.75). The emission factor (kg CO2/Short ton) was multiplied by the total amount of short tons of wood burned per season and then converted to metric tons using the conversion factor 1kilogram=10‐3 metric tons. The N20 and CH4 emissions were calculated using default emission factors for the wood/wood waste boilers (Table 12.8, TCRGRP, p. 80). The total amount of grams was converted to CO2 equivalent using the conversion factor 1 gram=10‐6 metric tons and global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4.
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Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions Electricity Using the dollars spent on electricity from the SMART database, total kilowatt‐hours (kWh) for DNR were estimated using an Energy Information Administration (EIA) average electricity price ($/kWh) in Maryland for FY 2006. These were converted to megawatt hours (MWh) using a conversion factor of 1kWh=10‐3 MWh. Total MWh were multiplied by GHG U.S. Emission Factors for eGRID 2006 Subregion RFCE (Table 14.1, TCRGRP, p, 104), which was chosen based on Maryland’s geographic location (U.S. eGRID Subregion map, Figure 14.2, TCRGRP, p, 103). The mass of all GHG emissions (lbs) was converted to metric tons using a conversion of factor of 2204.62 lbs: 1 metric ton. Global warming potential factors of 310 for N20 and 21 for CH4 were used to convert these emissions to units of CO2‐equivalents. Finally, all three GHG gas totals were summed to obtain the total CO2 indirect emissions generated by electricity.
Results In FY 2006, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions for DNR’s owned and operated vehicles and facilities totaled 17,284 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. DNR’s vehicle fleet was the largest single source of GHG emissions, releasing 52% of GHG’s compared to 38% by indirect emissions (electricity) and 10% stationary combustion (heating fuels and biomass) (Figure 14).
Figure 17: DNR GHG Emissions, FY 2006
Vehicles filling up at state pumps were responsible for 6,680 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents or 74% of emissions generated by all the entire vehicle fleet. This is consistent with
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the fact that 75% of the 996,500 gallons of transport fuel consumed by DNR occurred at state pumps (Figure 15). 94 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, or 1% of the total vehicle emissions, were emitted in the form of methane and nitrous oxide. It was estimated that across all the units, NRP and MD Park Service were responsible for 4,500 and 2,500 metric tons of the transport emissions, respectively.
Figure 18: GHG Emissions by transport fuel source, FY 2006
The largest source of GHG emissions at DNR facilities was electricity. Electricity use across all DNR facilities was 13,059 MWh, producing 6524 metric tons of CO2‐e or 79% of all facilities’ emissions (Figure 19). For heating fuels, fuel oil #2 and propane combustion resulted in 1,086 and 662 metric tons of CO2‐e respectively. Combustion of woody biomass produced 11 metric tons of GHG emissions.
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Figure 19: Facility Emissions by Energy Source, FY 2006
Given that MD Park Service operates the most facilities, it was the most dominant user of electricity and heating fuels and thus the highest contributor of stationary and indirect emissions (Figure 20). The results table breaks down all relative sources of emissions by type and amount (Figure 21).
Figure 20: Facility Emissions by Unit, FY 2006
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Transportation
DNR facility pumps Other Vehicles (Gasoline) Other Vehicles (Diesel) Vehicles
Gallons N2O (metric tons) CH4 (metric tons) CO2‐e Metric Tons 744975 0.23 0.20 6680 0.03 0.03 9 0.20 0.18 67 10449 0.00 0.00 101 132044 0.03 0.09 1212 Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline 103874 0.02 0.07 924 Diesel Diesel Diesel Diesel 28170 0.01 0.02 289 109081 0.02 0.06 1009 Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline Gasoline 77792 0.01 0.03 689 Diesel Diesel Diesel Diesel 31289 0.01 0.03 320 996549 0.28 0.35 9002
Facilities
MWh
Highway Vehicles (State pumps) Cars LTVs Aircrafts Marine Vessels Marine Vessels (Gasoline) Marine Vessels (Diesel)
Electricity
Biomass (Non‐fossil fuel) Fuel Oil #2 Propane/Natural Gas Facilities TOTAL
13059 Short tons 8 Gallons 106691 114921
N2O (metric tons) 0.10
CH4 (metric tons) CO2‐e Metric Tons 0.17 6524
N2O (metric tons) 0.00 N2O (metric tons) 0.01 0.01 0.12 0.39
CH4 (metric tons) CO2‐e Metric Tons 0.00 11 CH4 (metric tons) CO2‐e Metric Tons 0.00 1086 0.00 662 0.17 8283 0.52 17284
Figure 21: FY 2006 breakdown of DNR GHG Emissions
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Carbon Cutting Strategies DNR can reduce the emissions generated by its vehicles and facilities through a combination of actions that promote efficiency, substitution, and carbon capture. Efficiency: Actions that improve efficiency use fewer resources to achieve the same result. The main ways to improve efficiency are through technology and behavioral changes. Substitution: Replacing high emission fuels and energy sources with renewable sources and/or low emission fuels.
Carbon Capture: Implement restoration projects and manage resources to sequester carbon and offset emissions.
Recommendations ‐ Transportation DNR can implement tracking systems, training and policies to decrease annual miles driven by the highway vehicle fleet and improve the fuel economy of the fleet. 1) Communicate the 10,000 mile rule clearly and inform drivers of exemptions The 10,000 mile/year/vehicle policy should be more clearly communicated to DNR staff. It is not a set policy that a vehicle driven less than 10,000 miles/year will be reassigned. Many vehicles are eligible for exemptions every year. Working with the fleet coordinators, the vehicles that can be considered exemptions should be identified and the assigned drivers and facilities notified. An analysis of vehicles per facility should also be undertaken to identify facilities that have a high ratio of vehicles to employees. Superfluous vehicles can be reassigned to units that need them or traded in for money to purchase more efficient models. 2) Research reforms to “exempt vehicle” commuting policy 52% of DNR’s vehicles are assigned to individual employees. An audit should be conducted to determine the number of commute miles per assigned employees in exempt categories #1 and #2. DNR should also develop best management protocols for reducing vehicle miles traveled and vehicle efficiency standards with regards to the DNR commuting policy. 3) Train DNR staff on best practices of vehicle maintenance and care Consistent vehicle maintenance can maintain fuel economy of vehicles over the lifetime of the vehicle. DNR employees are required to bring vehicles in for maintenance at specified mileage counts. DNR should establish a better system of tracking vehicles that are due for maintenance and communicate with the appropriate employees when maintenance is overdue. Additionally, employees should undergo training on small yet effective vehicle maintenance measures (i.e. tire inflation) that can have large payoffs in maintaining fuel economy and promoting longer Maryland DNR Carbon Footprint
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vehicle life. Likewise, the training can be used to promote a decrease in idling and ways to maximize fuel economy such as hypermiling. 4) Establish fleet purchasing policy to improve fuel economy of fleet In FY 2008, of the 81 vehicles purchased, 16% were SUV’s and over 70% were pick‐ups, an increase in vehicle class and size from the previous year. This trend contributed to a lower fuel economy of the fleet. DNR can set up a fleet purchasing policy and systematic process that encourages downclassing, downsizing and the purchase of hybrids. Downclassing is the act of trading in a vehicle for one that is lower in class, such as a SUV for a pick‐up truck or a pick‐up truck for a car; downsizing is the act of opting for a smaller size within the same class, for example trading in a large V8 pick‐up truck for a smaller V6 pick‐up truck. DNR should also pursue downsizing in terms of shrinking the size of the entire fleet. Each vehicle that is traded‐ in results in more money in the bank to purchase higher efficiency vehicles and one less monthly payment to the maintenance contractor.
Recommendations ‐ Facilities Leading by example, DNR can mitigate emissions across its facilities through new building standards, energy upgrades at small and large‐scales, and a commitment to support renewable energy projects. 1) Establish energy efficiency standards for new buildings under 7,500 square feet Although energy standards have been established for state buildings over 7,500 square feet, DNR should also set standards for new smaller buildings. The upfront costs of a more efficient structure that can last 100 years are minimal when compared to the 100 years of energy costs and emissions that DNR be responsible for with an inefficient building. 2) Prioritize upgrades on energy demanding and publicly visible facilities Large‐scale energy upgrades on DNR facilities should focus on buildings that are high energy users and attract significant numbers of visitors. This would allow DNR to maximize its energy savings while also using the upgrades as a tool to educate visitors on the importance of energy efficiency. 3) Engage in agency‐wide purchases to improve energy efficiency DNR owns and operates 1,752 buildings, which average 52 years of age. Small alterations in such old facilities can have large payoffs. Bulk purchases and installation of low‐cost products such as fluorescent bulbs, light sensors, insulation and energy‐saving software can demonstrate immediate reductions in emissions and costs. 4) Investigate renewable energy demonstration projects and commit to purchasing a percentage of renewable energy DNR can initiate select renewable energy demonstration projects at its facilities, including wind turbines, solar panels, biomass combustion and wastewater biogas combustion. These projects would highlight DNR as a “lead by example” agency, prepare the agency for project implementation at a larger scale, and enable DNR to be a resource to other state agencies. Maryland DNR Carbon Footprint
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Meanwhile, DNR can also commit to purchasing a small percentage of renewable energy generated by wind or solar power.
Recommendations – Carbon Capture 1) Undertake a forest carbon sequestration pilot project In its Interim Report (November 2007), the Maryland Commission on Climate Change recommended the implementation of a forest carbon sequestration pilot project for the following purposes: • Identify an afforestation site and determine the most appropriate forest management practices for capturing the carbon • Ensure that the proposed sequestration project is real, quantifiable, permanent, monitored and additional to what would have happened but for the action taken • Evaluate and select appropriate industry standards and registration protocols for both voluntary offsets and/or market‐driven carbon credit sales to provide for future alternative options down the road • Demonstrate how long term carbon sequestration can be achieved by using long term forest rotations and executing product use agreements with building and furniture industries It is in the best interest of DNR to demonstrate innovative carbon techniques and programs. Implementation of the pilot project will be a great chance for land acquisition and planning, forestry, and private landowners to collaborate and would be a valuable step in making DNR a leader in mitigation of GHG emissions. 2) Build sequestration options into easements Carbon sequestration should be incorporated into DNR’s easement management efforts and programs. Through thorough investigation of successful case studies by other states and setting up workgroups with private landowners, the department can improve upon the original system to begin using easements as opportunities to sequester carbon. 3) Conduct analysis on carbon stored in DNR lands It would be valuable to know how much carbon is stored across its 451,000 acres of managed lands. Although these numbers will not help offset DNR’s emissions, the analysis would highlight what DNR is already doing for greenhouse gas mitigation and can be used to determine the impacts of avoided deforestation and changing forest management practices.
Emission Reduction Strategy Simulation As part of the analysis, a simulation was conducted to determine what degree specific strategies would reduce DNR’s emissions from FY 2006. Each action was also judged for ease of implementation and cost. The objective of the simulation framework is to help DNR staff prioritize which emission reducing strategies will be the most effective. For each strategy, an Maryland DNR Carbon Footprint
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implementation score was assigned. A score from 1‐4 is possible: 1) Higher Emission Reduction/Easier Implementation, 2) Lower Emission Reduction/Easier Implementation, 3) Higher Emission Reduction/Harder Implementation, and 4) Lower Emission Reduction/Harder Implementation. Reduction % CO2 Reduction from FY Implementation Strategy 2006 Reduce vehicle fuels bought by 10% 3.6 1 Replacing 10% Gasoline with Ethanol
0.6
2
Increasing fuel economy of fleet by 2
4.6
3
Reduce electricity use 10% through simple facility upgrades Replacing 50% of fuel oil furnaces with propane Generate 10% renewable energy
3.8
1
0.25
4
3.4
3
Results demonstrate that reducing transport fuels and electricity use through simple upgrades could be the most easily implemented and effective emission reduction strategies. Reducing vehicle gallons bought would involve a combination of tightening the commuting policy, communicating the 10,000 mile guideline, training DNR staff in vehicle maintenance, and downsizing the fleet where necessary. For electricity use, implementation of upgrades (i.e. CFL’s, light sensors, power‐saving software, insulation) at a large scale can be accomplished in a cost effective manner and have significant reduction potential. Other large emission reduction strategies such as increasing the fuel economy of the fleet and generating electricity through renewable technologies involve larger upfront costs and would be hard to scale up in a short time span. They should be considered more long‐term goals for DNR’s emission reduction strategy portfolio. Lastly, substituting current heating and transport fuels have small emission reduction potentials. In the case of ethanol, initiation of a 10% substitution is difficult given the limited infrastructure at this time. Offsets Given that land is DNR’s largest resource, there is strong potential for DNR to offset its emissions through forestry and land acquisition. Further analyses are needed to understand where DNR can utilize afforestation, reforestation, and forest management practices to sequester carbon and offset its emissions. A preliminary analysis revealed that planting 200 acres of oak‐pine forest on non‐forested land could offset 13,060 tons or 76% of FY 2006 emissions. Maryland DNR Carbon Footprint 27
References Energy Information Administration (EIA). Residential Heating Oil Weekly Heating Oil and Propane Prices (October – March). Available: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_a_epd2f_prs_cpgal_w.htm [10 Aug. 2008] Maryland Department of Budget and Management. Policies and Procedures for Vehicle Management. Annapolis, MD: January 2005. Maryland Department of General Services. Operating Leases of DNR. Annapolis, MD: August 2008. Maryland Department of General Services. Index to Purchase Standards for Maryland Fleet Vehicle FY 2009. Annapolis, MD: July 2008. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. SMART financial database. Annapolis, MD: August 2008. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. DNR Fiscal and Supportive Services Inventory System. Annapolis, MD: June 2008. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Somers Cover Marina Fuel Prices FY 2006‐2008. Crisfield, MD: August 2008. Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Web Fleet Master database. Annapolis, MD: August 2008. The Climate Registry. The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol (TCRCRP). May 2008.
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