X. 45% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030

The UW issued an RFQ in Spring 2023 for a firm to provide engineering consulting services and develop a detailed plan for decarbonization of the campus and Power Plant. The firm was selected in Summer 2023 and will begin work immediately to develop an implementation plan by August of 2024. Under state legislation, the UW must have begun development of a decarbonization plan for the Power Plant by June 2024. This implementation plan is critical to identify the capital resources needed to convert the Seattle campus district energy system off fossil fuels. Work will also continue on energy conservation measures across the UW, as well as communicating information about the Energy Transformation to the UW community.

UW Transportation Services will continue to prioritize electric vehicles when replacing vehicles in the fleet, as well as continuing to move forward with the parking lot projects to add charging stations and solar canopies (see the FY23 progress for details).

The greenhouse gas comprehensive inventory and analysis conducted by Cascadia Consulting Group will be delivered in Fall 2023. UW Sustainability will then work with campus stakeholders to identify and prioritize actions which will have a measurable impact in reducing our associated emissions, especially Scope 3 emissions.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

1. Request resources for Phase 1 of plan & implement 

2. Socialize the Seattle steam plant energy transformation strategy 
3. Host steam plant decarbonization tours 
4. Host steam plant decarbonization discussions with key stakeholders 

The UW will continue to develop the plan for decarbonization, including evaluating transitioning the campus heating system from steam to hot water. This will include determining technological and financing options, creating a strategy for achieving the carbon reduction goals while maintaining reliable and cost effective service.

This year, UW Facilities is beginning to implement phase one of the Energy Transformation strategy, which is to increase resources toward energy conservation efforts, while working to communicate and socialize the full strategy among the UW community.

Development of the plan will include key stakeholder involvement and engagement with the UW community. In addition to creating a communications plan and determining ways to effectively convey the need for this project to campus users, UW Facilities and UW Sustainability are organizing tours and discussions of the steam plant with key stakeholders to provide context around the need for decarbonization.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

1. Transition 50-70 ICE vehicle replacements per year to EV, as feasible. 
2. Implement charging infrastructure in concert with a fleet electrification plan. 
3. Implement a two-pronged strategy for solar canopy and EV charging installation. 

The UW will continue to transition to electric vehicles, with a target of 50-70 vehicle replacements each year, while also implementing new charging and solar infrastructure as needed. Transportation Services is working on plans for creating additional charging infrastructure, including installing solar canopies in parking lots to help power EV charging stations.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

Conduct pre-design and planning for E-18 parking lot solar canopy 

The Seattle campus solar plan created by UW Solar includes opportunities for creating new solar power installations on campus. UW Transportation Services is starting a process to move forward with planning for a solar canopy on parking lot E-18, which would provide new charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Steps we will take in FY 2023

Continue work on the Carbon Roadmap so that each unit, campus, etc. has annual steps to take to reach interim targets. 
 
The Carbon Roadmap is a strategy to meet our greenhouse gas emission requirements under state legislation and other mandates. The Carbon Roadmap working group will continue creating the strategy, including identifying interim targets and required annual steps by various units to meet those targets. 
 

UW aspires to convert its fleet to all-electric (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) (with the exception of selected emergency vehicles), deliver a full complement of vehicle charging equipment for fl eet and public use in campus parking facilities. Current opportunities to recoup charging costs are limited to parking permit fees and fleet rental agreements, though EV charging raises capital and utility costs.

The estimated 14 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity possible on UW transportation assets (parking lots) could produce approximately 14 gigawatt hours (GWhs) of electricity per year, if fully deployed, which is currently about 5 percent of Seattle campus electricity demand. Another 500 and 170 kW are available on Bothell and Tacoma lots, respectively.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Target 50-70 vehicle replacements per year transitioning from ICE (internal combustion engines) to EV as market forces allow, pursuing new vehicle asset classes after initial prices decline to fleet and economy rates.

2. Implement charging infrastructure in concert with transition to EV and solar canopy installation, and develop a consolidated rate structure and implementation solution for parking with charging.

3. Implement a two-pronged strategy for solar canopy and EV charging installation in coordination with the Campus Solar Plan of utility scale systems based on available finance and small systems specific to existing user characteristics.

Responsible party

Transportation Services

Statuses and linkages

Analysis of the opportunity to electrify the UW Seattle fleet and parking services and capacity for parking to house solar canopies has been completed and a report will be released in June 2021. The same analysis has been applied to the Bothell and Tacoma campuses. There are linkages between these targets and actions, and the goal of reducing commuting to campus via single occupancy vehicles..

Financing

• The strategy to electrify UW Transportation Services is shown in Steps 1, 2, and 3. Step 1, though currently tied to the vehicle replacement schedule and reduced cost of ownership to UWT for EV in comparison to ICE, can accelerate as additional funds become available. Step 2 requires a review and development of a rate policy to recoup the cost of capital investment and electricity for charging. Step 3 capital investments and charging infrastructure are suitable for capitalization through the green revolving fund. Full buildout of 14 MW of solar requires an estimated total $28 - $30 million in capital expenditures plus an additional $438,000 for electrical distribution upgrades. Besides the funding stream from electric surcharges, we forecast $46-48 million in cost avoidance from vehicle fuels and utility payments.

Metrics

Progress toward completion of the Action will be measured by:

• Number of UW fleet vehicles transitioned from ICE to either EV or PHEV.
• kW of charger-connected solar capacity.
• Number of parking spaces having charger access.
• A proposed rate structure and payment method for vehicle charging.

UW aspires to complete, by December 31, 2021, a Campus Energy phased strategic approach that outlines a pathway forward for a significant decarbonization of the Seattle campus by 2030, or earlier. Development of the plan will include key stakeholder involvement led by the Campus Energy Program Manager. During the process of creating the Campus Energy Plan, the Stakeholder team will consider options for evaluating technological and financially viable strategies for achieving the carbon reduction goals while maintaining reliable and cost effective service – including heat and steam sterilization – to the hospital and other campus buildings.

Besides technological innovation, this project will require financial innovation as well. Modernizing the Seattle campus district heating system will be among UW’s largest capital projects to date, and multiple financing models need to be comparatively evaluated.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Engage in the planning and design of the current 2021 maintenance and repair project intended to enhance the power plant reliability “Power Plant Phase 1 Infrastructure Renewal.” Engagement to focus on evaluating options for reduced energy consumption.
2. Conduct a long term strategic planning summit with “key stakeholders” with an outcome defining an overall approach for a phased transition towards significant decarbonization of the Seattle campus heating & cooling plants by 2030.
3. Leverage the approach defined in strategic planning summit to scope and fund required consulting services, studies and/ or preliminary design efforts for phases moving forward.

Responsible party

UW Facilities

Statuses and linkages

In March 2020, UW Facilities issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas from experts around the country for planning, building, and financing a low-carbon energy system. These responses are currently being reviewed by the Energy Roadmap Team which includes support from the Engineering Services and UW Sustainability departments.

Several other universities have completed or launched similar projects. Stanford University recently completed a new combined heating and cooling plant that is perceived as a particularly successful example. The new Stanford plant, when combined with solar power procurement, reduced Stanford GHG emissions by about 72 percent from its peak levels.

Financing

A thorough review of the engineering and financial options is needed before assigning a budget estimate to such a large scale project. UW is targeting development to start in 2023, with first phase completion in 2028.

Metrics

Completion of each listed FY2022 Step shall serve as the measure of progress during FY2022.

Develop and implement a phased roll out of campus solar plans for UW Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell campuses. On the Seattle campus, 173 out of 372 buildings are suitable for solar photovoltaics and could support 15 megawatts (MW) of capacity, or 15 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity per year, which is equivalent to about 5 percent of campus electricity demand. (This is in addition to the 14 MW of solar potential on parking areas described in the action to Electrify UW Transportation Services.) At UW Bothell, 13 of the 28 buildings analyzed are suitable, for a capacity of 1.2 MW (with another 500 kW potential on garages and lots). At UW Tacoma, there are 18 out of 33 buildings suitable for a capacity of 1 MW (and about 180 kW in parking canopies). The Seattle campus currently has 6 rooftop arrays, while Bothell has 6 arrays, most of which are on transportation assets.

Steps we will take in FY 2022

1. Review and approve a Campus Solar Plan, with identified funding mechanisms, for developing solar assets on campus buildings by 2035. Anticipated completion: December 31, 2021.
2. Revise campus design guidelines to include solar and related infrastructure investments for new and existing buildings. Anticipated completion: March 31, 2022.
3. Install 1 MW per year on buildings and 1 MW per year as canopies on transportation assets. Anticipated completion: June 31, 2022 for year one and action is ongoing.

Responsible party

UW Resource Conservation in coordination with UW Solar

Statuses and linkages

Solar installations on UW campuses also reduce building energy usage intensity, and can be integrated into thermal systems for compounded savings. On the Seattle campus, solar energy reduces the peak load demand for electricity, buying time to make larger scale investments needed to decarbonize the power plant. UW hosts solar photovoltaics developed by the UW Solar Group, part of the UW Clean Energy Institute, on the Mercer A Apartments (35 kW), Alder Hall (50 kW), Elm Hall (25 kW), Maple Hall (25 kW), the Life Sciences Building (105 kW), in rooftop and solar shading fins). In addition, research and student projects have resulted in arrays on the IMA Building, Merrill Hall, Power Plant roof, and the Mechanical Engineering Building. University of Washington’s Bothell campus also hosts 122 kW of solar photovoltaic, on the library building and parking garages.

Financing

• Solar, with reduced utility costs as returns on investment, fit the parameters for finance with a revolving fund. There is also potential for investments from local utilities, the U.S. Department of Energy, donors, or other parties. Current capital costs estimates are $2-2.5 M per MW, which save 130 percent of these costs in avoided utility payments over the 25 years of the warranty.

Metrics

• Quarterly progress of completing campus solar plan and campus design guidelines.

The UW manages a fleet of more than 700 vehicles and over 100 surface parking areas or garages for commuters and guests, with the potential to host over 14 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic capacity in the form of solar canopies. By 2030, the UW aspires to convert its fleet to all-electric and hybrid- electric vehicles (with the exception of snow plows and other emergency maintenance vehicles), deliver a full complement of vehicle charging equipment for fleet and public use in campus parking facilities and supplement renewable electricity with solar canopies on campus parking facilities.

The estimated 14 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity possible on UW transportation assets could produce approximately 14 gigawatt hours (GWhs) of electricity per year, if fully deployed. About 20 percent of the current UW surface parking area would be required to service an all-electric UW Fleet, potentially offsetting 3.5 million miles travelled, or 2.8 million pounds of CO2e per year. If all 14 MW of potential capacity were realized, the system of solar canopies could power 50 million vehicle miles traveled per year, reducing commuter emissions by about 18,000 metric tons of CO2e per year (about 40% of commuting related emissions).

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. Complete and approve a strategy for transitioning the UW Fleet to electric vehicles by 2030, excepting emergency maintenance vehicles. Anticipated completion: December, 2020.

2. Complete and approve a strategy, including funding mechanisms, to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure across UW parking facilities by 2030. Anticipated completion: March, 2021.

3. (concurrent with Step 2) Review and approve a strategy and funding methodology for developing solar canopy infrastructure on campus parking assets by 2030. Anticipated completion: March, 2021.

Responsible party

Transportation Services

Statuses and linkages

Analysis of the opportunity to electrify the UW Seattle fleet and parking services, and capacity for parking to house solar canopies, has been completed, and a report will be released for review in Fall, 2020. The same analysis can be applied to the Bothell and Tacoma campuses in Fall, 2020. There are linkages between these targets and actions, and the goal of reducing commuting to campus via single occupancy vehicle.

Financing

Electric vehicles will be gradually added to the UW Fleet as older vehicles are retired. Steps 2 and 3, the development of charging infrastructure and solar canopies respectively, will require capital investment, but can recover cost through surcharges on the electricity delivered to plugged-in EVs. Seed funding will be required for the first two biennia (four years), but thereafter electric sales revenue can be used to continue expanding buildout of chargers and canopies in the form of a revolving fund.

Full buildout of 14 MW of solar is estimated to require a total $28 - $30 million in capital expenditures plus an additional $438,000 for electrical distribution upgrades. Besides the funding stream from electric surcharges, we forecast $46 - 48 million in cost avoidance from vehicle fuels.

Metrics

Progress toward completion of the Action will be measured by:

• Percentage of UW fleet vehicles that are plug-in electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will be included in the count.
• GW of charger-connected solar capacity.
• Percentage of parking spaces having charger access.

This Action can gain points in STARS credits OP-6 Clean & Renewable Energy where UW shows a point gap of 3.93.

The single largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at UW is the central heating & cooling plant on the Seattle Campus. The central plant relies on fossil gas to provide steam heat and related services to over 13 million square feet of building space (136 buildings). Emissions from the central plant have not changed appreciably since 2009, despite the Seattle campus enrollment increasing 12% and building footprint increasing 20% during this time. In fact, on a per-square-foot basis, UW GHG emissions are improving. Yet, to meet greenhouse gas reductions required by Washington state law we will need to radically change the nature of how thermal energy is generated in Seattle.

UW aspires to complete, by December 31, 2021, a Campus Energy Plan that features a pathway for a significant decarbonization of the Seattle campus heating & cooling plant by 2030, or earlier. Development of the plan will be piloted by an Energy Program Manager. During the process of creating the Campus Energy Plan, the Energy Program Manager’s team will consider every possible technology available for achieving the carbon reduction goals while maintaining reliable service – including heat and steam sterilization – to the hospital and other campus buildings.

Besides technological innovation, this project will require financial innovation as well. Modernizing the Seattle campus district heating system will be among UW’s largest capital projects to date, and multiple financing models need to be compared.

Steps we will take in FY 2021

1. Hire an Energy Program Manager with the engineering and finance qualifications to oversee the heating plant and district energy renewal from start to finish.

2. Issue an RFP for, and contract, a consultant (owner’s advocate) capable of helping UW select the best mix of technologies for the Seattle campus.

3. Develop engineering scope and funding pathway for a pilot project to use waste condenser heat from the West Central Utility Plant to reduce steam heating in nearby buildings.

Responsible party

UW Facilities

Statuses and linkages

In March 2020, UW Facilities issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit ideas from experts around the country for planning, building, and financing a low-carbon energy system. These responses are currently being reviewed by the Energy Roadmap Team which includes support from the Engineering Services and UW Sustainability departments.

Several other universities have completed or launched similar projects. Stanford University recently completed a new combined heating and cooling plant that is perceived as a particularly successful example. The new Stanford plant, when combined with solar power procurement, reduced Stanford GHG emissions by about 72 percent from its peak levels.

Financing

A thorough review of the engineering and financial options is needed before assigning a budget estimate to such a large scale project. UW is targeting development to start in 2023, with first phase completion in 2028.

Metrics

• Completion of each listed FY2021 Step shall serve as the measure of progress during FY2021.

Decarbonization (whether partial or total) of the Seattle campus central heating & cooling system will gain points in STARS credits OP-2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions where UW shows a point gap of 3.91. Depending on the fuel used for energy generation, the project may also gain points toward OP-6 Clean & Renewable Energy where UW shows a point gap of 3.93.