Using repaks carbon calculator

ENERGY: USING THE REPAK CARBON CALCULATOREllen Murphy

Green Schools Development Officer, An Taisce

WHERE DO WE GET OUR ENERGY FROM?

• Fossil fuels are the source of much of our energy, and are formed under intense pressure and heat over millions of years from the buried remains of plants and animals.

• By burning these fossil fuels to release heat from the chemical energy they contain, steam can be raised in a power station boiler to drive a generator.

• However, by burning fossil fuels we are releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere faster than plants can absorb it.

FOSSIL FUEL FORMATION

Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen

Plants (and carbon) compact and decay

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CURRENT SITUATION IN IRELAND

• 92% of our oil is imported so we have a much greater dependence than the rest of Europe –

• Indigenous production ~ 10% (mostly peat)

• We only attain 4% of our energy needs from renewable technologies

CARBON CALCULATOR

So what is your Carbon Footprint?

Most human activities produce carbon dioxide emissions. Such activities include transport, energy, food production and waste. A carbon footprint is a way to measure the amount of carbon emissions that an activity creates.

CARBON CALCULATOR

The amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is measured in tonnes. The average person in the EU emits 11 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The Irish fare very poorly when compared to this average; every person in Ireland is responsible for 17 tonnes of carbon entering our atmosphere every year!

Believe it or not, the ideal carbon footprint should be 2/3 tonnes per person per annum.

WWW.REPAK.IE SCHOOLS CARBON CALCULATOR

RESULTS

Where do we use Energy in schoolsWhere do we use Energy in schools

Energy

Lighting Heating &Hot Water

Appliances

oThink about where we use Energy in the school and at home? - Undertake an Appliance Audit.

oCan we Switch it OFF!!!oWhere can we make savings?

Start by reading the meter. - Read it to capture normal school

activity, plus when the school is empty.

oLook at where that energy comes from?

REVIEW YOUR ENERGY USE

WHAT IS 1 KWH? Electricity is measured in units. Each unit is

equivalent to 1,000 watts of electricity used for one hour - or one kilowatt-hour (kWh).

1 kWh in Lasts for

an instant electric shower 7 to 10 min

an immersion water heater 15 to 20 min

a large ring on an electric cooker 20 to 40 min

a kettle 20 to 40 min

a tumble dryer 20 to 40 min

a two-slice toaster 40 to 60 min

a washing machine 70 to 100 min

a dishwasher 70 to 100 min

a desktop computer & monitor 4 to 6 hours

a 28-inch TV 6 to 9 hours

a 100 watt standard lightbulb 10 hours

a 20 watt CFL lightbulb 50 hours

MONITOR YOUR ENERGY USE Once you build up a record of your energy

readings, you can chart this to see if there are any unusual peaks

Look at what your appliance audit revealed – excessive equipment; are there items left on standby; unnecessary items; emersions & water heaters not switched off?

Appoint Energy Monitors / Wardens / Detectives!

Switch-it-off Campaigns Surveys in the school and at home Inform & Involve

ENERGY SOLUTIONS Are all office computers shut down at the end of each day? Best-case: Switching off a computer at the end of each day can cut its

energy consumption in half.

Are all computer monitors switched off during absences of 10 minutes or greater?

Best-case: If the computer is unattended for more than 10 minutes then the monitor should be turned off.

Are photocopiers/printers switched to standby mode when they are not in use for long periods and are they shut down at end of every working day?

Best-case: Photocopiers can consume large amounts of energy while inactive. Stand-by should commence within 10 minutes of last use.

Are timed plugs fitted to vending machines to make sure that they operate only during site hours?

Best-case: A vending machine that is left running continuously can cost over €600 a year to operate, so ensure that they are only powered up during site operating hours.

ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Are water boilers left running continuously?

Best-case: Water boilers should be switched off outside of main usage hours; jug kettles can be used to boil water during these periods.

Are all hand dryers automatically activated?

Best-case: Automatic hand dryers should be installed, as they do not operate unless they are actually needed.

EXAMPLE: BOILER EFFICIENCY

Has your school boiler been serviced and maintained regularly?

A 12kW oil boiler with an efficiency of 60% heats a house for 2,000 hours per year. If gas costs 7c/kwh, how much does it cost to run the boiler?12kW x 2,000hrs = 24,000kWh24,000kWh / 0.6 = 40,000kWh40,000kWh x 7c/kWh = €2,800

EXAMPLE: NEW BOILER

If a new condensing boiler is installed with an efficiency of 90%, what will the running cost be per year? 12kW x 2,000hrs = 24,000kWh24,000kWh / 0.9 = 26,666kWh26,666kWh x 7c/kWh = €1,866

Saving of €934 per year

WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT LIKE THE GREEN SCHOOLS PROGRAMME OFFERS

Control over your energy use “You cannot monitor what you don’t

measure!” Awareness

SEI estimate that 15-20% of energy savings can be made through behavioural changes

LOW COST savings Green Schools research: schools saving 3.65

million units of electricity per year That’s the equivalent of powering a small

town!

ENERGY RESOURCES

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