Carbon Footprint Intensity Per Capita at the University of Phayao
By Surat Setpho, Ph.D., Head of Greenhouse Gas Management and Certification Unit,
School of Energy and Environmental Science
The Importance of Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse gases are the major cause of global warming. Greenhouse gases can occur naturally and from human activities, and global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing over time.
The University of Phayao, as a dedicated institution of higher education, has undergone the Carbon Footprint Organization (CFO) Evaluation Project to determine any activities that might be sources of emissions so that the university can take appropriate and precise actions to reduce emissions efficiently. This initiative is an important indicator of the university’s ranking in the UI Green Metric, which focuses on long-term development of educational institutions as well as serves the sustainable development goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations, shown in the image below.
The CFO assessment of the University of Phayao covered seven types of greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). These gases from organizational activities are categorized into three scopes as follows:
Scope 1: Direct emissions such as stationary combustion sources (e.g., boilers and power generators), mobile combustion emissions (e.g., vehicles), and leakages (e.g., refrigerant leaks and waste treatment systems).
Scope 2: Indirect emissions from electricity consumption.
Scope 3: Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions, including any processes to obtain fuels or energy produced by the sources in scopes 1 and 2.
The assessment of the carbon footprint per capita at the University of Phayao was conducted in three steps, as follows:
- Collect data
- Analyze the intensity of greenhouse gases
- Propose solutions for reducing greenhouse gases
Results of the assessment of the carbon footprint per capita at the University of Phayao
The data collected in 2022 revealed that electricity consumption from the grid produced the highest amount of greenhouse gases, at 6,173.33 tons of CO2e or 53.15% of the university’s total emissions. This result is consistent with other government organizations and entities whose highest greenhouse gas producing activities are primarily from electricity use.
The carbon footprint per capita at the University of Phayao for the year 2022 was approximately 0.5206 tons of CO2e per person. This figure was calculated from total emissions of 11,614 tons of CO2e divided by a population of 22,310 people engaged in university activities.
Possible solutions to reduce the carbon footprint per capita
From the assessment above, the activity that emitted the highest amount of greenhouse gases was electricity consumption (65.03%, including electricity generated from solar rooftop installations). In 2023, it is estimated that electricity consumption will continue to be the activity that emits the most greenhouse gases. Therefore, the following actions can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the University of Phayao:
1. Reduce electricity consumption by encouraging faculties, departments, and students to use electricity more efficiently through focused energy management policies.
2. Increase the use of clean energy by installing additional solar rooftops, for instance.
Not only will the above practices help reduce electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but they will also help minimize fuel and energy costs. By following these actions, the University of Phayao will reach their goal of becoming a sustainable green university in the near future.
https://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/publications/guidelines/2023/english “Guideline UI Green Metric World University Rankings 2023”
http://thaicarbonlabel.tgo.or.th/admin/upfiles/download/ts_73d0f28555.pdf “ข้อกำหนดในการคำนวณและรายงานคาร์บอนฟุตพริ้นท์ขององค์กร” องค์การบริหารจัดการก๊าซเรือนกระจก (องค์การมหาชน) พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 8 (ฉบับปรับปรุงครั้งที่ 6, กรกฎาคม 2565)