GHG Emissions and Carbon Footprint Workshop Tacoma, WA September 29, 2009

1. GHG Emissions and Carbon Footprint Workshop Tacoma, WA September 29, 2009 Developing a GHG Inventory: SPU’s Initial ExperiencePaul FlemingManager, Climate & Sustainability GroupSeattle Public Utilitiespaul.fleming@seattle.gov

2. Purpose of Briefing • Background on climate change and water • Water sector engagement • SPU’s experience • Motivation • Methodology • Data collection • Lessons Learned

3. Climate Change and Water

4. 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

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

6. Water Sector Engagement

7. 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

8. Water Sector Activity on Climate Change: • AMWA • Climatechangecommittee • 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/

9. SPU’s Experience

10. 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)

11. SPU’s Motivation • Support Seattle’s Climate Action Plan • Develop understanding of our emissions • Complement our focus on adaptation

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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

18. Thank You