DCARB (Designing Climate Action and Regulations for SustainaBility)
Published: 11 August 2022| Version 1 | DOI: 10.17632/r2985v7vw6.1
Contributors:
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Description
This project is the source code (in the Julia programming language) and data for the DCARB (Designing Climate Action and Regulations for SustainaBility) tool, which is supported by the article "Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility (DCARB): Framework and campus application" in Journal of Cleaner Production (July 2022).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131690
From the article:
"[DCARB is] the first optimization-based long-term planning tool tailored to the needs of academic institutions pursuing carbon neutrality. The novelty of this work stems from the optimization-based methodology and inclusion of a land-based carbon sequestration module as a nature-based approach to campus carbon neutrality. The approach closely resembles scheduling optimization, but in application is meant to generate multiple scenarios like pathway analysis. The ability to quickly optimize multiple pathways to neutrality based on user-input can assist institutional decision-makers by identifying initial possible pathways."
Abstract:
With increased understanding of the impacts of climate change, institutions across the world are committing to achieve carbon neutrality and other emissions reduction targets. Within academia, the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment was created as a highly visible public contract with over 300 active signatories. Existing climate action planning tools rely on significant subjectivity and previously conducted project analysis. This work presents an optimization framework that develops a long-term planning tool tailored for use by academic institutions. Further, we highlight the potential for ecological solutions and land management as economically competitive actions for campuses. The presented tool, known as DCARB (Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility), features an ability to quickly optimize multiple pathways towards carbon neutrality based on user-input and parameter variability. We showcase DCARB through an application for The Ohio State University to demonstrate the outputs of the tool based on current projects outlined in the institution’s climate action plan. Additionally, parameter variability is analyzed to explore how solutions might change due to data uncertainty or application to other campuses. The results encourage urgent action as they can provide cheaper pathways towards neutrality, including immediate consideration of land-based actions. Additionally, applications of the tool highlight challenges for achieving neutrality such as a reliance on market-based offsets, future market volatility, proper carbon credit accounting, and planning for future social and behavioral actions.
Files
Steps to reproduce
Steps to reproduce are outlined in the original article "Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility (DCARB): Framework and campus application" (citation below) and the Supplementary Material attached. The README file gives further instructions on what information is held in the input files and Julia script.
Michael Charles, Vivek Vattyam, Bhavik R. Bakshi, "Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility (DCARB): Framework and campus application", Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 356, 2022, 131690, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131690.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652622013026)
Institutions
Ohio State University
Categories
Sustainability, Carbon Budget
Funding
DGE-1343012
Sustainability Institute at The Ohio State University
Computational Modelling
Objective of the Model
The model uses optimization methods to find minimum cost pathways towards carbon neutrality goals, specifically tailored to college and university campuses.
Typical Input
module parameters (grid, solar, wind, CHP, etc.), carbon neutrality goal information, campus-wide demand for electricity and heat, scenario constraints, etc.
Typical output
information for the scale of energy modules [MWh] used at each time point, amount of market-based offsets needed annually, visualization of electricity and heat usage over time
Computer System Requirements
Windows 7 and later for both 32 bit and 64 bit versions
Simulation ID
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Patents
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AM Sample Data Template
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Date
2021-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
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AM Process Data Template
Additive Manufacturing Process
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Process Date
2021-10-17T00:00:00.000Z
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Software
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Type
Public Domain
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Publications
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Publication Title
Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility (DCARB): Framework and campus application
Publication DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131690
Citation
Michael Charles, Vivek Vattyam, Bhavik R. Bakshi, "Designing Climate Action and Regulations for sustainaBility (DCARB): Framework and campus application", Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 356, 2022, 131690, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131690. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652622013026)
Authors
Michael Charles, Vivek Vattyam, Bhavik R. Bakshi. William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
MURI/AUSMURI University
User Name
Michael Charles
University
the Ohio State University
Address
151 W Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH 43210
Acknowledgement
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1343012 and partial funding from the Sustainability Institute at The Ohio State University . Thank you to Mike Shelton and the staff at Facilities Operation and Development at The Ohio State University for assistance with data collection and analysis.