HomeMy WebLinkAboutICLEI_Milestone_1ICLEI Milestone 1
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis
Sustainability Advisory Board
May 6,2013
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Table of Contents
Global Climate Change 4
Global Warming 101 4
The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect 4
Climate Change 5
Greenhouse Gases from Human Activity 5
Introduction 6
ICLEI Milestones 6
Milestone 1 7
Objectives 7
Methodology and Software 7
Establishing Boundaries 8
Included Greenhouse Gases 8
Greenhouse Gas Emission Sources 9
How does the City of Oshkosh compare against other communities?9
What is ICLEI and what was their role in the inventory?10
Oshkosh Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 11
Summary of Findings 11
Residential Emissions 13
Commercial Emissions 14
Industrial Emissions 15
Transportation Emissions 16
Waste Emissions 17
Oshkosh Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 19
Summary of Findings 19
Buildings and Facilities Emissions 22
Streetlights and Traffic Signals Emissions 22
Water Delivery Facilities Emissions 24
Wastewater Facilities Emissions 25
Solid Waste Emissions 26
Vehicle Fleet Emissions 27
Transit Fleet Emissions 28
Current Trends 29
Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions 29
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecasting 33
Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast 33
Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast 33
Conclusion 34
City of Oshkosh Sustainability & Climate Change Mitigation Activities 35
How can you help Oshkosh reduce GHG emissions?35
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Units of Green House Gas Emission (GHG) Represented 9
Figure 2: City of Oshkosh Emission Sources 9
Figure 3: 2007 Oshkosh Community-wide Emissions by Source 11
Figure 4: 2007 Oshkosh Community-wide Emissions by Sector 12
Figure 5: 2007 Oshkosh Residential Sector Emissions by Source 13
Figure 6: 2007 Oshkosh Residential Sector Emissions Breakdown 13
Figure 7: 2007 Oshkosh Commercial Sector Emissions by Source 14
Figure 8: 2007 Oshkosh Commercial Sector Emissions Breakdown 14
Figure 9: 2007 Oshkosh Industrial Sector Emissions by Source 15
Figure 10: 2007 Oshkosh Industrial Sector Emissions Breakdown 15
Figure 11: 2007 Oshkosh Transportation Sector Emissions by Source 16
Figure 12: 2007 Oshkosh Transportation Sector Emissions Breakdown 16
Figure 13: 2007Oshkosh Waste Sector Emissions by Source 17
Figure 14: 2007 Oshkosh Waste Sector Emissions Breakdown 18
Figure 15: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Emissions by Source 20
Figure 16:Oshkosh Municipal Operations Emissions by Sector 21
Figure 17: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Buildings and Facilities Emissions 22
Figure 18:Oshkosh Municipal Operations Streetlights & Traffic Signals Emissions 23
Figure 19:Oshkosh Municipal Operations Water Delivery Facilities Emissions 24
Figure 20:Oshkosh Municipal Operations Wastewater Facilities Emissions 25
Figure 21: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Solid Waster Emissions 26
Figure 22: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Vehicle Fleet Emissions 27
Figure 23: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Transit Fleet Emissions 28
Figure 24: Oshkosh Emissions Over Time 29
Figure 25: Oshkosh Residential Emissions Over Time 30
Figure 26: Oshkosh Commercial Emissions Over Time 30
Figure 27: Oshkosh Industrial Emissions Over Time 31
Figure 28: Oshkosh Transportation Emissions Over Time 31
Figure 29: Oshkosh Waste Emissions Over Time 32
Oshkosh Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendices
Appendix A –2006 GHG Detailed Report
Appendix B –2007 GHG Detailed Report
Appendix C –2008 GHG Detailed Report
Appendix D –2009 GHG Detailed Report
Appendix E –2010 GHG Detailed Report
Oshkosh Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Appendices
Appendix A – Landfill Waste Category Table
Appendix B – Methane Calculations
Appendix C – Wisconsin Public Service Meter Data
Appendix D – Streetlight Data
Appendix E – Vehicle Fleet & Transit Fleet Fuel Consumption Data
Appendix F – ICLEI Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports
Appendix G – ICLEI Criteria Air Pollutants Emissions Detailed Reports
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Global Climate Change
Global Warming 101
Global warming is a term used to describe a gradual increase in the earth’s average ground
and atmospheric temperatures across the whole planet. Measurements indicate that the
global temperature has increased by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century. This
warming trend appeared during a period when human activities were beginning to increase
the carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Although most scientists believe that a rise in carbon dioxide emissions will lead to further
global warming, uncertainties remain about the timing and severity of resulting climatic
change. Nevertheless, many are convinced that human activities are partly responsible for
the long-term warming of the past century and that climatic changes caused by greenhouse
gas increases will be a continuing part of our future. Scientists believe that there is enough
evidence to warrant a sensible approach toward minimizing the potential consequenc es of
global warming.
The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
The Earth normally stays at a constant temperature by shedding heat into space at the same
rate that it absorbs it from the sun. When the system is unperturbed, the amount of energy
given off from the earth equals the amount of energy absorbed. Excessive greenhouse gases
upset this balance. The problem that we now face is that human actions, particularly the
burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and land clearing, are increasing the
concentrations of these gases, creating the prospect of global climate change. This is the
enhanced greenhouse effect.
Human beings increase greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere through many daily
activities. When fossil fuels are burned, the carbon dioxide that has been stored in them for
thousands of years is released. Massive burning of fossil fuels in just a few recent decades
has emitted tremendous amounts of CO2. Living, growing trees help to absorb carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere, so our present trend towards deforestation of the planet
means that less carbon dioxide is being absorbed. The two trends – burning more fossil fuels
and cutting down more trees – taken together, have increased the concentration of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.
Humans are responsible for other greenhouse gases as well. Methane is released through
intensive agriculture, coal mining, and leaky natural-gas lines. Industrial products emit
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Nitrous oxide and low-altitude ozone levels are also increasing
rapidly, for reasons that are less clear. Less than 200 years since human beings began making
major emissions, greenhouse gas concentrations are raising to levels higher than any yet seen
while humans have existed on this planet – and they will rise much further in the years
ahead.
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Climate Change
Climate is the long-term average of a region’s weather events lumped together. Climate
change represents a change in these long-term weather patterns. The reason that scientists
feel that climate change is a more accurate term than global warming is that the increased
levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are causing climatic changes that vary across
the planet, both from place to place and season to season.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a panel of 2,000 scientists convened by
the United Nations’ Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization,
determined that even if steps are taken now to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases,
the globe could warm up at a rate faster than it has in the past 10,000 years. The panel
concluded that the temperature rise in the last 150 years suggests a discernable human
influence on global climate. If no actions are taken to reduce emissions, computer models of
the earth’s climate predict that global average temperatures will rise by 1.6-6.3 degrees
Fahrenheit over the next 100 years. The rate of climate change is particularly frightening.
Since the last ice age the global temperature has risen by 4.5 degrees Celsius. Plants and
animals however have had eighteen thousand years to adapt to this change. The rapid
changes that are predicted will put great stresses on the natural resources on which cities and
all human settlements depend.
Greenhouse Gases from Human Activity
Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1700’s, human activities, such as the burning of oil,
coal and gas, and deforestation, has increased CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide is clearly the most important cause of the human-made greenhouse effect. If
the present trend continues, the contribution of CO2 will become considerably higher by the
year 2100.
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Introduction
The Oshkosh Sustainability Board recognizes that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from
human activity are contributing to global warming and that Oshkosh must act quickly to
understand the amount of emissions being generated within the community. On September
11, 2007,the City Oshkosh signed onto the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement
committing to reduce GHG emissions to meet or surpass the Kyoto Protocol targets of a
seven percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2012 (Resolution 07 -262). Additionally,
Resolution 08-295, approved August 26, 2008, committed our community to adopting the
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) five milestones to reduce
GHG and air pollution emissions.
ICLEI Milestones
Milestone 1–Conduct a Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Analysis: Baseline Inventory and
Forecast of Emissions Growth
The GHG Emissions Inventory and Analysis is an
audit of the activities causing or releasing GHG,
and a projection of how much these activities are
likely to grow by a target year. The full analysis
consists of a baseline inventory and a target year
forecast of GHG emissions for community wide
sources and a baseline inventory and forecast
completed just for local government facilities and
operations. Knowing where the bulk of emissions
are coming from – whether it is vehicles,
streetlights, commercial electricity use, residential heating, or land fill ed waste – allows the
targeting of projects and programs to reduce emissions effectively.
Milestone 2– Set a Reduction Target
The reduction target is the specific GHG emissions reduction goal that the city of
Oshkosh aims to achieve by a designated year. It is usually expressed as a percentage
reduction below the quantity of emissions released in the baseline year.
Milestone 3– Develop a Climate Action Plan
This Plan is a description of the actions – policies, programs, and measures– that the
city of Oshkosh will take to meet its GHG reduction target.
Milestone 4– Implement the Climate Action Plan
Milestone 5– Monitor Progress and Report Results
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Milestone 1–Conduct a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis: Baseline
Inventory and Forecast of Emissions Growth
A Municipal Operations Baseline Inventory was conducted first by Ashley Hellenbrand and
Alicia Werner, interns from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Environmental Studies
program. Together they worked with Jon Urben, City of Oshkosh Director of General
Services and Paul Greeninger, City of Oshkosh Safety and Risk Management Coordinator to
complete the Municipal Operations Inventory in the spring of 2009.
Next,from 2011-2012, a Community-Wide Inventory was conducted Elizabeth Schultz, City
of Oshkosh Planning Technician, and Steve Barney, City of Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory
Board Member.
Finally, beginning in 2013, a forecast of future emission growth was completed by the
Sustainability Advisory Board’s Energy and Efficiency Subcommitte e (Bob Poeschl, Aaron
Campbell, Steve Barney and Michelle Bogden-Muetzel) along with the help of Ashley Kraus,
City of Oshkosh Planning Assistant.
Objectives
The Sustainability Advisory Board aimed to achieve the following objectives when
conducting the baseline inventories:
Accuracy – emissions should not overstate or understate actual GHG emissions.
Completeness – to address all relevant GHG emissions.
Consistency – to enable meaningful comparison
Transparency – Activity data, sources, emissions factors and accounting
methodologies should be documented and disclosed.
The above objectives are achieved by applying accepted methodologies in designing the
inventory and calculating emissions from the best available data.
Methodology and Software
The Community-Wide Emissions Inventory prioritized emissions estimates based on actual
activities within the community (e.g. utility bills for electricity and natural gas usage) over
modeled data. However, in some cases, the results of modeling are the onl y options
available to base a calculation on (e.g. determining emissions from vehicle transportation
requires modeling the number of vehicle miles traveled [VMT]).
Oshkosh’s Municipal Operations Emissions Inventory was guided by ICLEI, following a
Local Government Operations Protocol (LGOP) developed through a multi-stakeholder
process in alignment with international emissions inventory procedures. This national
standard provides for the complete, transparent, and accurate reporting of a local
government’s GHG emissions, and guides participants through emissions calculation
methodologies and reporting guidance applicable to all U.S. local governments. The LGOP
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addresses greenhouse gas emissions from a range of sources, including facilities, vehicle
fleets,power generation facilities, solid waste facilities, and wastewater treatment facilities.
Calculations were produced using ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability’s Clean Air
and Climate Protection (CACP) software. The software generates estimated GHG emissions
by taking activity data and multiplying it by emissions factors.
Establishing Boundaries
Setting a boundary for GHG emissions accounting and reporting is an important step in the
inventory process. Oshkosh’s Community-Wide Emissions Inventory assesses emissions
resulting from activities taking place within the city of Oshkosh municipal boundary. The
Municipal Operations Emissions Inventory took a look at the following: municipal buildings
and facilities, street lights, traffic signals, water delivery facilities, fleet vehicles, transit fleet,
and solid waste facilities. Activities that occur within these boundaries can be, for the most
part, controlled or influenced by City of Oshkosh policies and community educational
programs.
Included Greenhouse Gases
Both inventories include emissions of the following greenhouse gases which make up the
majority of Oshkosh’s climate change impact:
1.Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
2.Methane (CH4)
3.Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Units of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) are used to normalize the global warming
potential of the various GHGs highlighted above. As portrayed in Figure 1, the emission of
1 ton of N2O has a global warming potential (GWP) 310 times larger than that of the
emissions of 1 ton of CO2. Similarly, the emission of 1 ton of CH4 has a GWP 21 times
that of CO2. To avoid confusion between emissions of the different types of gases and their
respective GWPs, all emissions documented from here on are reduced to the common unit
of CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent.
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1 21
310
0
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1 ton CO2
Carbon Dioxide
1 ton CH4
Methane
1 ton N2O
Nitrous Oxide
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Figure 1: Units of GHG Representation
Greenhouse Gas Emission Sources
ICLEI’s CACP software required the inventory of all Direct (Scope 1), Energy Indirect
(Scope 2), and Indirect (Scope 3) GHG emissions. Provided below is a breakdown of
Oshkosh emission sources:
Figure 2: Oshkosh Emission Sources
Emission sources not included are upstream energy and process emissions embodied in the
goods and services that enter Oshkosh from outside of the municipal boundary. For
example, the emissions generated to produce a bottle of water (e.g. extracting raw material,
processing, machining, and transporting to Oshkosh) are not included in this inventory.
How does the city of Oshkosh compare against other communities?
The kinds of services provided by local governments vary greatly. Some operate schools,
water treatment facilities, ports, airports, transit systems, public housing, and municipal
utilities, while others might operate only some or none of those. Additionally, local
government emissions are influenced by factors outside of local control, inclu ding sources of
electricity generation in the region and weather. Because of this complex mix of factors it is
very difficult to make useful comparisons between the emissions of different local
governments. It is more useful to look at the greenhouse gas inventory as a way to help local
governments understand the sources of greenhouse gas emissions from their operations, and
to provide a baseline against which to measure the impact of actions to reduce emissions.
Having conducted an inventory and committed to reducing emissions makes Oshkosh a
leader in the state and region and well ahead of federal action on climate change.
Direct
(Scope 1)
Energy Indirect
(Scope 2)
Other Indirect
(Scope 3)
Transportation Electricity
Natural Gas
Waste
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What is ICLEI and what was their role in the inventory?
ICLEI is a membership association of local governments committed to advancing climate
protection and sustainable development. Since its inception in 1990, ICLEI has grown to
include over 1,000 local governments throughout the world, more than 550 of which are in
the United States. ICLEI’s mission is to build, serve, and drive a movement of local
governments to advance deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and achieve tangible
improvements in local sustainability. ICLEI has provided technical assistance and guidance
on the completion of this inventory in alignment with the LGOP, and will continue to
provide assistance throughout the five-milestone process.
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Oshkosh Community-Wide Greenhouse
Gas Emissions Inventory
Presented here are estimates of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from community -wide
activities in the city of Oshkosh. The year 2007 was chosen as the base year because the data
was relatively accessible and easy to collect for that year. This data will provide a baseline
against which the City of Oshkosh will be able to compare future performance and
demonstrate progress in reducing emissions.
Summary of Findings
The total estimated emissions identified by Oshkosh’s Community-Wide Inventory in 2007
were 1,280,222 metric tons of CO2e. Energy consumption was the primary sources of
GHG emissions within the community, with electricity and natural gas making up just over
73% of the total emissions. Emissions associated with transportation accounted for less
than 27%, while waste disposal by Oshkosh residents contributed less than 1%. When
looking at the emissions totals from 2006 – 2010, it is clear that emissions will continue to
increase if no action is taken. These sources are presented below in Figure 3 and a detailed
report of all emissions can be found in Appendix A.
Figure 3: 2007 Oshkosh Community-wide Emissions by Source
2007 Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Source
Electricity
54.83%
Natural Gas
18.19%
Transportation
26.74%
Waste
0.24%
Electricity
Natural Gas
Transportation
Waste
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Below is a breakdown of community-wide emissions by Sector.
Figure 4: 2007 Oshkosh Community-wide Emissions by Sector
The following sections describe the sources of these GHG emissions broken down by sector
and the data and methods used to quantify their impact:
2007 Green House Gas Emissions by Sector
Residential18.58%
Commercial31.68%Industrial
22.76%
Transportation26.74%
Waste
0.24%
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Transportation
Waste
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Residential Emissions
Oshkosh’s Residential Sector generated an estimated 237,903 metric tons of CO2e in 2007.
Of the total, 65% of emissions or 154,416 metric tons of CO2e were generated through the
consumption of electricity. This estimate was calculated using 2007 electricity and natural
gas sales data provided by Wisconsin Public Service. Data on residential equipment usage
such as lawnmowers or on-site electricity generation is not included in this inventory. GHG
emissions associated with residential transportation and residential waste generation are
included separately in the Transportation and Waste Sector emissions totals.
2007 Residential Emissions
Electricity
65%
Natural Gas
35%
Electricity
Natural Gas
Figure 5: 2007 Oshkosh Residential Sector Emissions by Source
Below is a breakdown of the various greenhouse gases addressed within this inventory.
2007 Residential Emission Sources
CO2 (tonnes)N2O (kg)CH4 (kg)Equiv CO2 (tonnes)
Electricity 153,579 2,541 2,309 154,416
Natural Gas 83,274 157 7,853 83,488
Figure 6: 2007 Oshkosh Residential Sector Emissions Breakdown
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Commercial Emissions
Oshkosh’s Commercial Sector generated 31.68% of community-wide GHG emissions in
2007, or 405,585 metric tons of CO2e. Of this total 80% of emissions or 325,129 metric tons
of CO2e were created through electricity consumption. This estimate was calculated using
2007 electricity and natural gas sales data provided by Wisconsin Public Service. Please note
that the Commercial Sector includes usage data for all schools within Oshkosh and any
residential home with three or more meters. Like the Residential data, data on commercial
equipment usage, such as lawnmowers or on-site electricity generation, is not included in this
inventory.
2007 Commercial Emissions
Electricity
80%
Natural Gas
20%
Electricity
Natural Gas
Figure 7: 2007 Oshkosh Commercial Sector Emissions by Source
Below is a breakdown of the various greenhouse gases addressed within this inventory.
2007 Commercial Emission Sources
CO2
(tonnes)N2O (kg)CH4 (kg)Equiv CO2 (tonnes)
Electricity 323,368 5,351 4,863 325,129
Natural
Gas 80,250 151 7,568 80,456
Figure 8: 2007 Oshkosh Commercial Sector Emissions Breakdown
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Industrial Emissions
Oshkosh’s industrial sector generated 22.76% of community -wide GHG emissions in 2007,
or 291,364 metric tons of CO2e. Of this total, 76% of emissions, or 222,397 metric tons of
CO2e, were generated through the use of electricity within the industrial sector. This
estimate was calculated using 2007 electricity and natural gas sales data provided by
Wisconsin Public Service. Like the Residential and Commercial data, data on industrial
equipment usage, such as lawnmowers or on-site electricity generation, is not included in this
inventory.
2007 Industrial Emissions
Electricity
76%
Natural Gas
24%
Electricity
Natural Gas
Figure 9: 2007 Oshkosh Industrial Sector Emissions by Source
Below is a breakdown of the various greenhouse gases addressed within this inventory.
2007 Industrial Emission Sources
CO2
(tonnes)N2O (kg)CH4 (kg)Equiv CO2 (tonnes)
Electricity 221,192 3,660 3,326 222,397
Natural Gas 68,900 130 1,300 68,968
Figure 10: 2007 Oshkosh Industrial Sector Emissions Breakdown
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Transportation Emissions
Oshkosh’s transportation sector accounted for 342,275 metric tons of CO2e, or 26.74%
percent of the 2007 community-wide GHG emissions. Of this total, 84% of emissions or
286,280 metric tons of CO2e were generated by the use of gasoline powered vehicles. The
software asks for the number of miles that make up U.S. highways, collecting highways, and
local roads, which was obtained from the City of Oshkosh Transportation Department.
Mile data was then entered into the software’s VMT calculator to obtain VMT estimates for
Oshkosh.
2007 Transportation Emissions
Diesel
16%
Gasoline
84%
Diesel
Gasoline
Figure 11: 2007 Oshkosh Transportation Sector Emissions by Source
Below is a breakdown of the various greenhouse gases addressed within this inventory.
2007 Transportation Emission Sources
CO2
(tonnes)N2O (kg)CH4 (kg)Equiv CO2 (tonnes)
Diesel 55,942 162 167 55,996
Gasoline 280,255 18,377 15,602 286,280
Figure 12: 2007 Oshkosh Transportation Sector Emissions Breakdown
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Waste Emissions
Oshkosh’s Waste Sector accounted for 3,095 metric tons of CO2e, or 0.24% of the total
2007 emissions generated community-wide. It is important to note that the Winnebago
County Landfill collects municipal waste from a three county region, however, the above
total emissions estimate is what Oshkosh alone contributed. If you were to look at the
landfill as a whole, total emissions generated would be 170,347 metric tons of CO2e, making
Oshkosh’s portion about 1.82% of total emissions generated by the landfill.
Oshkosh’s waste tonnage total was obtained directly from the Winnebago County Landfill.
The CACP software asks for the data broken down based on the type of waste or the waste
share percentage. These percentages were obtained using the 2009 Wisconsin Sta te-wide
Waste Characterization Study, which was a comprehensive look at all waste entering various
landfills throughout the state. Below are the waste share percentages used to generate 2007
Waste Emissions. Please note that all other waste includes almost 50% of the waste entering
landfills but does not account for any GHG emissions:
Waste Share Percentages
Paper Products- 19.6%
Food Waste- 10.6%
Plant Debris- 4.2%
Wood and Textile- 16.1%
All Other Waste- 49.5%
Figure 13: 2007 Oshkosh Waste Sector Emissions by Source
2007 Waste Emissions
Food
19%
Plant
4%
Wood/Textile
14%
Paper
63%
Paper
Food
Plant
Wood/Textile
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Below is a breakdown of the various greenhouse gases addressed within this inventory.
2007 Waste Emission Sources
CO2
(tonnes)N2O (kg)CH4 (kg)
Equiv CO2
(tonnes)
Paper 0 0 91,678 1,925
Food 0 0 28,065 589
Plant 0 0 6,301 132
Wood/Textile 0 0 21,313 448
Figure 14: 2007 Oshkosh Waste Sector Emissions Breakdown
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Oshkosh Municipal Operations
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory
Data collection for the City of Oshkosh Municipal Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Inventory took place in the spring of 2009.The base year for the data collection was 2007.
The interim year for the inventory was 2008. The interim year data collection is performed
to show what progress the City has made with pre-existing measures, and to document
trends in energy usage. However, as the base year was relatively recent, there is not much
difference between the data from 2007 and 2008.
Oshkosh has collected data for 2006, 2007 and 2008. The data for the three years was qui te
similar because no significant changes have been made in the City. For simplicity the data
for the year 2007 is included in this report exclusively.
Summary of Findings
The results of the inventory indicate that Wastewater facilities (53%), followed by City
Buildings (15.8%), Streetlights and Traffic Signals (11.2%), and Water Delivery Facilities
(10.9%) represent the greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. These results call for
energy efficiency initiatives within the City that will reduce e missions, save money, and set an
example for energy conservation for the community as a whole.
This preliminary analysis of the inventory results demonstrates the usefulness of the
inventory as a tool that should be used to highlight the areas within the City that are making
the greatest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
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This graph represents the percentage of tons C02 equivalent broken down by each source.
2007 Percent CO2 Per Source
1%6%
49%
3%
34%
7%
Carbon Dioxide 1.4%
Diesel 6.5%
Electricity 48.6%
Gasoline 2.6%
Methane 33.6%
Natural Gas 7.4%
Figure 15: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Emissions by Source
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The following graph is a breakdown of the emission sources for each sector given by the
CACP Software.
2007 Percent Emissions Report per Sector
15.8%
11.2%
10.9%
53.0%
0.1%
5.8%3.2%Buildings and Facilities 15.8%
Streetlights & Traffic Signals
11.2%
Water Delivery Facilities
10.9%
Wastewater Facilities 53%
Solid Waste Facilities .1%
Vehicle Fleet 5.8%
Transit Fleet 3.2%
Figure 16: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Emissions by Sector
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The following graphs will be a breakdown for each sector by the amount of Tons C02
equivalent released.
Buildings and Facilities Emissions
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Figure 17: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Buildings and Facilities Emissions
NOTE:All buildings and facilities, streetlights and traffic signals, water delivery
facilities, and wastewater facilities information from 2006 - 2008 was received from
WPS (Wisconsin Public Service). It should be noted that WPS was contacted on April
22, 2009, to verify that KW data was included in the KWH totals. WPS also
indicated to the City that data for the Convention Center was under a separate name,
other than the City of Oshkosh, for 2006 and 2007, so complete data is not available
for those two years.
Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) data was provided by Scott Hansen. Dan
Kussmann, Electrical Traffic Division Supervisor for the City of Oshkosh helped sort
out all the meter information. This data can be found in Appendix C.
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Streetlights and Traffic Signals Emissions
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Streetlights and Traffic Signals
Tons
CO2
Figure 18: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Streetlights & Traffic Signals Emissions
NOTE:There were two sources of data for streetlights. Some streetlights are
metered (Appendix C), so that data was included in a report from WPS. For the
rest of the streetlights, they are not metered, but rather the City is billed on a
monthly rate, and KW usage depends on the type of light fixture. A separate report
(Appendix D) is included in this report. Those two figures were added together to
get complete data.
24
Water Delivery Facilities Emissions
Figure 19: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Water Delivery Facilities Emissions
25
Wastewater Facilities Emissions
Figure 20: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Wastewater Facilities Emissions
NOTE:Kevin Sorge, Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent, provided us with Methane
information in SCFM's (Standard Cubic Feet per Minute) produced. This data was unable to be
put into the ICLEI software because of improper units. However,Strand Associates, Inc., an
engineering firm, was able to calculate the tons of Methane and Carbon Dioxide the Waste Water
Treatment Plant produced in 2008. The amounts for 2006 and 2007 were then calculated as a
percentage of 2008. The engineer’s calculations and calculations for 2006 and 2007 can be found
in Appendix B.
26
Solid Waste Emissions
Waste
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Solid Waste Municipal
Tons
C02
Figure 21: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Solid Waste Emissions
NOTE:The week of April 27, 2009, was taken as a sample for the rest of the year. The
sanitation crew gathered the waste from the municipal buildings for one week and
recorded the tonnage. That weekly total was then annualized, and used for all three
years of data. Data was provided by Jim Hintz, the Sanitation Supervisor for the City of
Oshkosh.
John Rabe, Solid Waste Director from the Winnebago County Landfill was contacted
regarding data on the landfill waste percentages. He informed us that they did not have
that information, since a survey was never done for this landfill. He did suppl y us with
a link to the WDNR website that provided the most recent statewide waste composition
study conducted by Franklin Associates, Ltd.,initially done in 2002 and updated in June
2003. The results of this study, along with a column used to calculate Oshkosh’s
percentages, can be found in Appendix A. The amount of CO2 produced was
calculated by entering in the calculated percentages in to the community side of the
ICLEI software.
27
Vehicle Fleet Emissions
0
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Figure 22: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Vehicle Fleet Emissions
28
Transit Fleet Emissions
Figure 23: Oshkosh Municipal Operations Transit Fleet Emissions
NOTE: With the exception of Transit Fleet Data, all Vehicle Fleet totals were provided
by Bob Knaup, Central Garage Supervisor. Transit (Buses) data was provided by Greg
Maxwell, Transit Maintenance Supervisor. The data can be found in Appendix E.
29
Current Trends
Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Taking a look at the change in emissions over time, Oshkosh has experienced, for the most
part, a slight decrease in emissions. Between 2008 and 2009, Oshkosh saw a 38,898 metric
ton decline in CO2e which equates to a 3% drop in emissions. Based on the data, the
decline can be attributed to the Residential and Commercial Sector energy consumption.
This decline in consumption is likely due to the recession and consumers being more
proactive and aware of their energy usage in an attempt to save money where ever possible.
Total Emissions Over Time
1,283,800
1,273,973
1,280,222
1,244,902
1,248,257
1,220,000
1,230,000
1,240,000
1,250,000
1,260,000
1,270,000
1,280,000
1,290,000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
CO
2
e
(
t
o
n
n
e
s
)
Figure 24: Oshkosh Emissions over Time
30
RESIDENTIAL EMISSIONS OVER TIME
232,031
232,633
239,728
237,903
230,791
226,000
228,000
230,000
232,000
234,000
236,000
238,000
240,000
242,000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
CO
2
e
(
t
o
n
n
e
s
)
Figure 25: Oshkosh Residential Emissions over Time
COMMERCIAL EMISSIONS OVER TIME
390,250
388,906
409,363
405,585
403,202
375,000
380,000
385,000
390,000
395,000
400,000
405,000
410,000
415,000
200
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Year
CO
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(
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Figure 26: Oshkosh Commercial Emissions over Time
31
INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS OVER TIME
294,718
301,342
299,536
291,364
286,930
275,000
280,000
285,000
290,000
295,000
300,000
305,000
200
6
200
7
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8
200
9
201
0
Year
CO
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e
(
t
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Figure 27: Oshkosh Industrial Emissions over Time
TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS OVER TIME
327,506
318,550
332,072
342,275
350,430
300,000
310,000
320,000
330,000
340,000
350,000
360,000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
CO
2
e
(
t
o
n
n
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s
)
Figure 28: Oshkosh Transportation Emissions over Time
32
WASTE EMISSIONS OVER TIME
3,7533,470
3,100
3,094
2,620
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
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Year
CO
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(
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Figure29: Oshkosh Waste Emissions over Time
33
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecasting
By taking relevant trends into account, such as population growth,greenhouse gas emissions
forecasting estimates what the volume of greenhouse gas emissions will be in the future if no
further actions are taken by local government to reduce those emissions. To illustrate the
potential emissions growth based on projected trends in energy use, driving habits, job
growth, and population growth from the baseline year going forward,the Oshkosh
Sustainability Board conducted an emissions forecast for the year 2017 using a business-as-
usual scenario.
The projected population change for the city of Oshkosh was estimated as 1% growth. The
1% growth increase was chosen based on population growth rate and local economic activity
indicators.
Community-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast
Under a business-as-usual scenario, the city of Oshkosh’s community emissions, based on a
1% growth rate, will grow approximately 25.72% percent by the year 2017, from 1,476,056 to
1,849,505.87 metric tons CO2e.
Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecast
For the municipal operations analysis, no growth was anticipated in the municipal
government operations thus we did not complete a greenhouse gas emission municipal
forecast.
Community-wide
Analysis
Municipal Operations
Analysis
Base year 2007 2007
Indicator growth rate 1%No growth anticipated
Quantity of eCO2 emissions
in base year (tons)
1,476,056 25,487
Forecast year 2017 2017
Business-as-usual projection
of eCO2 emissions in 2017
(tons)
1,849,505.87 25,487
Source: CACP output
Greenhouse gas emissions forecasting is essential to setting realistic emissions reduction
targets for ICLEI’s Milestone 2.
34
Conclusion
The inventory results included here provide a GHG emissions baseline that Oshkosh will use
to complete the next steps of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Guided by
ICLEI’s 5 Milestone Process for Climate Mitigation,the Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory
Board will evaluate and set GHG emissions reduction targets for local government
operations and the community. In selecting this target, it will be important to strike a balance
between scientific necessity, ambition, and what is realistically achievable. By establishing a
challenging yet feasible target, Oshkosh can demonstrate its goal to do its part towards
addressing GHG emissions. The Sustainability Advisory Board will survey GHG reduction
targets of neighboring cities and counties as well as similarly-sized cities across the US, larger-
scale agreements such as the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, state
targets, and others. The Sustainability Advisory Board will present recommended targets to
the Common Council for approval and, if accepted,adoption.
The steps of studying GHG emissions and setting goals to guide Oshkosh’s efforts lead to
the development and ongoing implementation of a Climate Action Plan. The Oshkosh
Climate Action Plan will highlight the major initiatives Oshkosh has already implemented
since 2007 and add to these initiatives to meet our GHG emissions reduction targets.
Selected actions will be included in the Climate Action Plan that will not only
comprehensively reduce energy costs and GHG emissions but also reduce the community’s
vulnerability towards climate change (climate adaptation). ICLEI has a program and support
resources to help interested communities understand their vulnerabilities and identify actions
to increase resilience (Climate Resilient Communities™ program).
The implementation of projects is, of course, the most important part of this process. By
laying the groundwork through the GHG emissions inventory, reduction target, and climate
action planning process,the Sustainability Advisory Board will have the ability to prioritize
the very best emissions reduction measures. Finally, by periodically updating inventories,
creating new baselines, and adding new initiatives to the Climate Action Plan, the
Sustainability Advisory Board will be able to track and report Oshkosh’s progress in
protecting the climate and demonstrate reductions in emissions.
As Oshkosh moves forward with considering emission reduction strategies, the Sustainability
Advisory Board should identify and quantify the emission reduction benefits of climate and
sustainability strategies suggested within the Oshkosh Sustainability Plan that could be
implemented in the future, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, vehicle fuel
efficiency, alternative transportation, vehicle trip reduction, land use and transit planning,
waste reduction and other strategies. Through these efforts and others, Oshkosh can achieve
additional benefits beyond reducing emissions, including saving money and improving
Oshkosh’s economic vitality and its quality of life. The Sustainability Advisory Board will
continue to update this inventory as additional data becomes available.
35
City of Oshkosh Sustainability & Climate Change Mitigation Activities
Recently, the City of Oshkosh has taken major steps to increase sustainability efforts and
programs throughout the community. For example, in 2009 the City of Oshkosh completed
an energy audit and began to retrofit some City-owned buildings to improve energy
efficiency to reduce Oshkosh’s energy consumption.
In 2010, the City’s Parks Department, working with the Oshkosh Area Community
Foundation, introduced the Taking Root Campaign which promised to plant 1,000 trees per
year. The Public Works department began using a single-stream recycling collection system
and installed four roundabouts to increase safety and reduce fuel consumption and energy
use. Oshkosh Transit added four hybrid buses to their fleet and adjusted signal timing for
efficient traffic flow. The Police Department began using bike and foot patrols and installed
LED flashlights and emergency lighting on squad cars. Also, the City’s Sustainability
Advisory Board put together a water conservation brochure to spread sustainability
awareness.
Additionally, in 2011 the City adopted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation Plan to promote
multi-modal transportation while also providing adequate education, encouragement,
evaluation, and enforcement programs. The Sustainability Advisory Board’s Sustainabil ity
Plan Steering Committee worked to complete a Sustainability Plan which set sustainability
goals for the community. The Parks Department/Oshkosh Area Community Foundation
continued with the Taking Root Campaign by planting 1,840 trees on local street terraces and
the newly constructed Riverwalk located along the Fox River. The Public Works
Department increased recycling by 70.4 tons from last year due to the new single -stream
recycling collection system and crushed 53,000 tons of concrete for reuse.
How can you help Oshkosh reduce GHG emissions?
Small behavioral changes can make a large impact in energy savings – and therefore, carbon
footprint reduction – over time. Make a deliberate effort to educate your family, your
coworkers, and others that you share space with to:
1. Turn lights off in unoccupied spaces and when leaving for the day
2. Set computers to switch to sleep mode after five minutes
3. Turn thermostats down when leaving for the day
4. Unplug appliances
5. Dress for energy-efficient temperatures
6. Use less hot water
7. Avoid using products with a lot of packaging
8. Take stairs instead of elevators
9. Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transit
10. Recycle more