To help lessen the threat of global warming, the City of Los Angeles (City) has taken a leadership role in developing and implementing cost-effective programs that assist, on a local scale, with global climate protection initiatives. The city developed a Climate Action plan as part of its greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The city forecasts that with the implementation of this action plan, Los Angeles could experience a potential reduction in City emissions beyond 1998 levels of nearly 400,000 tons of CO2 per year, for a cumulative reduction of over 734,000 tons by 2010. This results in a decline in total emissions from municipal operations to approximately 932,000 tons of CO2 annually, representing a 30-percent drop compared to 1990, with a large part of the expected decrease achieved by continuing and/or expanding City efforts currently underway. Without these efforts, 1990 emissions would have increased by more than 100,000 tons of CO2 per year, and over the period of 1990-2010, emissions would have climbed by 16 percent, according to projections.
Agriculture and Forestry Sector
The City of Los Angeles continues its proven commitment to urban forestry and tree planting for 2010.
Tree Planting
From 1990-1999, various city programs resulted in the planting of 83,100 trees. For the 2010 forecast, the number of trees to be planted is conservatively projected to be 48,000 or 4,000 per year (i.e. 2,000 per year from EAD-sponsored programs and 2,000 per year from the Department of Water and Power's Cool Schools Program over the period 1999-2010). For 2010, it is projected that tree planting programs will result in a reduction of 7,521 tons of CO2 per year.
Cross-Sectoral or Other Sector
The City of Los Angeles climate action plan estimates that water conservation measures will result in an annual savings of 176,216 Acre Feet (AF). Conserving water also eliminates the electricity required for pumping and treating drinking water and for processing wastewater discharge.
Water Conservation
Water conservation, along with recycling, will be used to meet a substantial portion of the projected 12-percent increase in the city's water demand which population growth will create over the next decade. The Department of Water and Power (DWP) is committed to conservation as a means of providing a sustainable source of water supply to the City and ensuring the availability of a drought-proof resource that is not subject to environmental restrictions and weather conditions. The following measures are just some of the ways that the DWP provides leadership and results in the conservation area: tiered water pricing, plus financial incentives for the installation of ultra-low-flush toilets and water-efficient washing machines, the plumbing retrofit ordinance and bathroom retrofit kits, and the home survey program.
Technical assistance programs for business and industry, large landscape irrigation efficiency programs, system infrastructure maintenance, including pipeline replacement, pipeline corrosion control, and cement-mortar lining of older pipelines, and ongoing programs to educate communities, build involvement in conservation initiatives, and develop water-use awareness.
Power Generation Sector
The City of Los Angeles plans to continue and improve various energy efficiency programs which encourage renewable energy usage and reduce energy consumption
City 10 Percent Green Power
The Green Power for a Green LA Program, launched in 1999, provides DWP customers with the option to directly purchase energy produced from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric. LAWA already participates in the program, with an anticipated purchase of 50 percent green power for LAX and Van Nuys Airport by 2010. Other city departments have the opportunity to significantly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions by also purchasing green power. The City Council has instructed city departments to develop plans for purchasing 10 percent green power by 2002. The EAD proposes that once the city has achieved a 10-percent level of green power purchases, additional purchases of 5 percent annually be considered until all city departments purchase green power at a rate of 25 percent.
Digester Gas-to-Energy
Hyperion Treatment Plant is scheduled to convert to Class A biosolids processing in 2003-2004. Based on information provided by Bureau of Sanitation facility engineers, this change in process will result in an estimated increase of 12 percent in digester gas production to 2,773 million cubic feet per year. The gas will continue to be piped to Scattergood Generating Station and converted to electricity. For the Terminal Island Treatment Plant, no electricity production is projected for 2010. Anticipated changes in the digestion process will require more heat energy, and the available digester gas will be burned in boilers to meet this demand.
DWP 2000 Integrated Resource Plan
The DWP and the City Council recently adopted the 2000 Integrated Resource Plan. The main component of the plan relevant to the Energy C.A.P. is the projected change in generation fuel mix, with less dependence on coal. The generation fuel mix for 2010 is the following: coal (39%), natural Gas (38%), nuclear (10%), hydro (4%), purchases (1%), and green power (8%). This will result in an average decrease of 16 percent in CO2 emissions per kWh produced and consumed. This is measured by either a system emission factor (in tons of CO2 per gigawatthour) or a CO2 coefficient for electricity (measured in tons of CO2 per million Btu of electricity produced). In addition, the plan contains other important strategies to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, including implementing demand-side management, distributed generation and renewable energy programs.
Energy Efficiency Conversion of City Streetlights
The 2010 forecast for the streetlights sector assumes a full conversion of the city's streetlight network from less energy-efficient incandescent and mercury vapor to high-pressure sodium or metal halide lamps. The conversion program is currently underway and approximately 80 percent of the existing network of 238,633 lamps already has been converted. Based on 1999 information provided by the Bureau of Street Lighting, 17,368 incandescent lamps and 22,739 mercury vapor lamps remain to be converted to high-pressure sodium or metal halide (which achieves similar energy savings). The reduction benefit of converting this last increment of the streetlight network equates to 75,715 tons CO2 per year. It also is projected by the Bureau that by 2010, the network will grow by about 24,000 new lamps, all of which will be installed as high-pressure sodium or metal halide.
Energy Efficiency Retrofits of City Buildings
Energy efficiency retrofits of designated GSD-controlled buildings will be fully implemented by 2010. The program provides for the installation of comprehensive energy management systems, including mechanical, electrical, lighting and water system upgrades. Based on the pilot retrofit program conducted at 16 buildings from 1996-1998, the average annual savings in electricity and natural gas were 13-14 percent. An energy savings estimate of 10 percent was used for the 2010 forecast.
ENERGY STAR-Compliant Office Equipment
The City Council has adopted a city policy supporting the purchase of energy-efficient office equipment and directing city departments responsible for procuring office equipment to indicate in bid specifications that products must be ENERGY STAR-compliant (unless such products are not available). The Council action also instructed city departments to designate staff to perform routine checks to ensure the proper configuration of power management features, and to conduct regular training and outreach to build awareness of energy efficiency.
Los Angeles World Airports Purchase of Green Power
LAWA is participating in the green power program with an initial purchase of approximately 10 percent green power. LAWA.s goal is to reach 50 percent utilization by 2010, equating to an emission savings of 118,688 tons per year of
CO2.
Transportation Sector
The City of Los Angeles calls for a number of cost-effective programs that will further reduce emissions from the transportation sector by 2010.
Bicycle Patrol Program
The city operates a very successful bicycle program called Bike Patrols for Clean Air that includes the LAPD, the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Zoo and the DOT. A 1999 net reduction accounts for energy consumption for electric bike charging. Based on information from city departments participating in the bike patrol program, it is estimated that an additional 140 standard bikes (for a total of 383) and 10 electric bikes (for a total of 37) will be deployed by 2010.
Alternative-Fuel City Fleet Vehicles
Currently, the city fleet contains approximately 15,000 vehicles, including 700 AFVs (slightly under 5 percent of the total fleet). The 2010 forecast assumes an increase in the number of AFVs to 6,710, or to about 45 percent of the total city fleet. This includes the procurement of approximately 600 compressed natural gas (CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG), liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or electric vehicles per year to replace gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicles out of an average annual turnover in the city fleet of 1,200- 1,500 vehicles per year. It generally aligns with current city fleet management practices, including: demonstrating leadership in progressive fleet management, employing new vehicle technologies, improving average fleet fuel efficiency, reducing health and environmental impacts, and utilizing incentive funding to facilitate and enhance progressive fleet management practices.
Increased Fuel Efficiency in City Fleet
Fleet managers historically have worked to improve the average fuel efficiency of the city fleet to reduce operating expenses, limit expansion of existing fueling infrastructure, enhance productivity, and curtail contributions to regional air pollution from city operations. In the Energy C.A.P., the 2010 forecast assumes a 25-percent improvement in new vehicle fuel efficiency compared to today for gasoline and diesel light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles with Gross Vehicle Weight Registered (GVWR) of less than 20,000 lbs., and a 15 percent improvement in heavy-duty vehicles with GVWR of more than 20,000 lbs. Projected improvements in AFV fuel efficiency range from 5-15 percent based on vehicle class. To achieve the incremental reduction benefit (or 60 percent of the total), the City Council directed those city departments responsible for procuring city fleet vehicles to incorporate fuel efficiency as a selection criterion in bid specifications.
Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control System (ATSAC)
The ATSAC system represents the current state-of-the-art in computer control of traffic signals and results in substantial reductions in vehicle fuel consumption because of improved traffic flow. The city controls traffic management programs on the city's streets and can modify and enhance these programs to further reduce fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions. By 2010, ATSAC will be implemented at 4,497 intersections in the city.
Commuter Services Office Programs
The city administers several commuter trip reduction programs for city employees through its Commuter Services Office. The programs are designed to promote ridesharing through vanpooling, carpooling, and use of transit services, and to reduce commuter trips through compressed work week, schedules and telecommuting. Measures that decrease the number of vehicles on the road help mitigate traffic congestion and smog and reduce energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions.
Over the next 10 years, the city will continue to aggressively promote its commuter trip reduction programs with a goal of increasing employee participation in vanpools and carpools by 15 percent, and use of transit services by 40 percent.
Los Angeles Department of Transportation Bus Transit Services
The DOT has projected a 3-percent per year (or 30-percent) rise in passenger trips by 2010 without increasing the number of buses in service. Factoring in a 30-percent increase in ridership, this would result in the elimination of 25,020,038 VMT per year. Assuming a 2010 fuel efficiency rate of 25 miles per gallon for light duty vehicles, passenger use of the Commuter Express would reduce the amount of gasoline consumed. Consistent with the forecast for AFVs presented previously, it is projected that all Commuter Express buses will operate on CNG in 2010 and will use 731,714 equivalent gallons of fuel. Using the same basic assumptions for the 2010 forecast as those applied to the Commuter Express service (except that buses would operate on LPG), the Community Connection and Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) services combined are projected to result in an elimination of 60,664,893 VMT, 2,426,596 gallons of gasoline, and 12,657 tons of CO2 per year.
Waste Sector
The City of Los Angeles plan suggests two main policies for reducing waste-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Landfill Gas-to-Energy Plan
Landfill gas-to-energy systems are installed at all open and closed city-operated landfills. Lopez Canyon landfill is projected to produce 22,111,198 kWh per year in 2010, based on information provided by Bureau of Sanitation facility engineers. It is estimated that this facility will continue to produce until 2018. Bradley landfill is projected to produce 35,993,750 kWh per year in 2010, based on information provided by Ogden Power Pacific, the contractor that operates the landfill gas-to-energy system. It is estimated that this facility will continue to produce until 2023.
At this time, it is not known if a landfill gas-to-energy system will be installed at the recently approved Sunshine Canyon landfill. The total estimated annual savings from landfill gas-to-energy is projected to be 49,762 tons of CO2 for 2010.
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Plans
The management of municipal solid waste programs is, however, considered to be a corporate function similar to the city's operation of the streetlighting system and water and sewage treatment facilities. The city controls municipal solid waste programs for most generators and can implement changes to the programs that affect the waste stream and resultant CO2 emissions.