Climate change poses risks and opportunities for water and wastewater treatment plants. Greenhouse gas emissions from plant operations contribute to climate change. Developing a carbon management program can help plants reduce energy costs, comply with future regulations, and gain public and financial benefits. Understanding climate change impacts can also help plants adapt operations and better manage risks like flooding or hot weather events.
1. Climate Change &
Water/Wastewater
Operations
Marc Karell, P.E.
Climate Change & Environmental Services, LLC
NYWEA
2009 Spring Technical Conference & Exhibition
West Point, NY
June 2, 2009
2. Goals: Background and Why is This
Important
• Understand the basics of climate
change and greenhouse gases (GHGs).
• Learn how POTWs and water plants can
take advantage of the new realities and
develop an economically and socially
beneficial carbon management program.
3. Is Climate Change for Real?
Part 1: Global Warming Is Happening
• Avg. global temp. 1.10F in past century.
Real, and larger than that seen in any century.
– Another 40F rise in next 35 years?
• If continued, there will be long-term effects on:
– our climate,
– water supply,
– diseases,
– agricultural, tourist, insurance & oil markets.
• Our economy and way of life
• Together these effects are called:
“Climate Change”
6. Is Climate Change for Real?
Part 2: Causes of Climate Change
• Certain compounds in our atmosphere trap
heat, called “greenhouse gases” or GHGs.
• From natural & man-made sources.
– CO2 levels have risen by nearly 40% since
industrial revolution
– Global temp. rise correlates with activities
• Large majority of scientists in field believe that
man-made emissions contributes significantly to
climate change.
8. Common GHGs
GHG GWP Common POTW Sources
CO2 1 Digester gas, combustion
CH4 25 Influent, anaerobic digesters
N2O 298 Nitrification
HFCs wide range Refrigeration gases
PFCs wide range
SF6 22,800
9. Climate Change: Public Perception
• 94% of respondents said
the U.S. should take
actions to limit its GHG
emissions, at least as much
as other developed
countries do on average.
• 73% said the U.S. should
participate in Kyoto, up
from 64% in 2002.
Source: 2005 U.S. Ford Foundation-funded poll
10. Global Attempt to Address Issue:
Reduce GHG Emissions
• Because effect is global, action must be global.
• To reverse effects: achieve global GHG reductions
• Many nations under the auspices of the United
Nations met in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan
• Agreed to reduce global GHG emissions in 2008-12
by 5.2% relative to 1990
“Kyoto Protocol”
11. Kyoto Protocol Philosophy
• Affected industries are those highest in fuel use:
power, cement, glass, steel, paper
• Different limits for different nations
– “Developed” vs. “Developing” nations
• Progress wherever reductions occur, even far away
• Market-based. Cap and trade. Affected facilities
have a limit, but may exceed it if they obtain
“credits” from another. $ invested in GHG
reductions can be made back by sale of credits.
– GHG credits as money making currency
12. Where Things Stand in the U.S.
• The Kyoto Protocol was not approved in the US.
• Obama Administration and new Congress promised
aggressive federal GHG emission reduction rules
• Some states currently developing their own rules
• There are additional economic drivers that make a
GHG reduction program beneficial
13. U.S. GHG Programs
• Current/future regulations
– Northeast “RGGI” trading program
– California AB-32 and Western Climate
Initiative
• Voluntary programs
– USEPA “Climate Leaders”
– USDOE “1605b”
– Chicago Climate Exchange
– The Climate Registry
14. RGGI Regulation - Here in NY
• Market-based CO2 trading program involving
power plants with units ≥25 MW: 10 NE states.
• Affected states must meet total CO2 emissions
equal to an early 2000’s baseline emissions
this year and a 10% reduction by 2019.
• Virtually all allowances will be auctioned.
Thus, power plants must pay to emit CO2.
15. New Proposed Federal GHG
Reporting Rule!
• Applicable to any facility that emits >25,000
metric tons of CO2e/yr or facility in any of 20
source categories, which includes industrial
wastewater treatment plants!
• Must report 2010 emissions of GHGs by
March 31, 2011 using accepted methods
• Will be 40 CFR Part 98
• April 10, 2009 Fed. Register
– Can still comment up until June 9
16. What an Industrial WWTP Must Report
• Annual CH4 emissions from anaerobic
wastewater treatment processes
• Annual CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions
from stationary combustion devices and
flares.
17. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
1. $$$. The growing cost of energy
– Actions that reduce energy usage reduce GHGs
– Given the price of energy these days, much $$$
will be saved!
– Example. DuPont claims they invested $120
million in CC (energy efficiency) programs in the
1990’s and as a result has saved over $3 billion in
avoided energy costs
18. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
2. $$$. GHG emission reductions achieved and
verified can become sellable credits, even in the
US (the voluntary market).
– Example. Blue Heron Paper Co. (OR) improved
energy efficiency by 25% (191,000 metric tons
GHGs/yr). Financial incentives, tax credits for project
and a pledge to buy all verified GHG emission
reduction credits.
19. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
3. Pressure from financial market, insurance,
accounting, governmental bodies
– Example. The Equator Principles gives
financial institutions social and environmental
benchmarks (including CC) to finance a project
– Insurance companies are terrified about their
costs of rising sea levels
20. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
4. CC risk – Usually, we are concerned with how a
plant impacts the environment. For the first time,
we are worried about how the environment will
impact plant operations!
– These may directly affect WWTP operations:
• Flooding
• Hot weather
• Illness, lost productivity
– More extreme rainfalls, changes in snowmelt patterns
would result in greater short-term flows and challenge
capacity design.
• POTW operators are beginning to study this
– “Climate Change Adaptation”
22. Why Develop a Climate Change (CC) Program?
Many Business (Non-regulatory) Reasons
5. Public relations
– Just say “Climate Change” to Toyota and GE!
– Further the climate change/sustainability goals of a
municipality (NYC 2030)
6. Pleasing customers. Firms ask about the “carbon
footprint” of products. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
– Major retailers Wal-Mart, Tesco now request suppliers
provide GHG information throughout product life cycle.
– Example. CA entrepreneur performed LCA to compare
proposed sludge treatment to form alternative fuel with
conventional sludge treatment and endpoint (land
application, on-site combustion, etc.)
23. GHG Emissions Along Product Life
Cycle
New Sales and
Supply Production/ Recycling/
Investment/ Distribution Consumer
Chain Operation End of Life
Design End Use
• Green Building
• Emissions related • Emissions related
• raw / input materials
Emissions related to to energy demand to energy demand
• raw / input materials
Emissions related to of processes at end user
filling facility
processing related /to
Emissions of raw • Emissions due to
•
input materialsraw /
processing of storage, cooling
usage
• input materials
Transport emissions
•
Transport emissions • Transport • Transport emissions
emissions • Emissions related to
energy demand for
waste disposal
recycling
24. Climate Change Opportunities for
POTWs
• Actions to reduce GHG emissions will
lead to direct cost savings
• Show progress to stakeholders and the
public; positive social profile
• Understand the physical, operational
risks that Climate Change represent
• Can Climate Change be an opportunity?
(Hint, ask Toyota or GE)
25. Summary: Why Should a Municipality
Invest in Carbon Management?
• Reduce exposure to future rules, carbon trading
• Direct economic benefits of GHG reductions
• Carbon management should be part of overall
planning – effects of future changes
• Integrate GHG metrics into EH&S reporting
• Respond to stakeholders, do the “right” thing
• Carbon management as VALUE, not LIABILITY,
as pollution is normally considered.
26. Climate Change & Environmental Services, LLC
• Nearly 25 years of experience in diverse
climate change and air quality services:
– GHG emission inventories
– Strategies to achieve cost saving, beneficial
reductions
– Energy and green building assessments
– LCAs
– Emission inventories (criteria and toxics)
– Air compliance audits
– Permitting for maximum operational
27. “With regard to excellence,
it is not enough to know,
but we must try to have
and use it.”
- Aristotle 384-322 BC