Developing a Carbon Emission Calculating Model for Tea Estates

International Journal of Engineering, Management & Sciences (IJEMS) ISSN-2348 –3733, Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2015

Developing a Carbon Emission Calculating Model for Tea Estates PathiranaHasanthiShyamaAmarasinghe 

Abstract— Incessant increase of greenhouse gasses boost the

global warming and it threatened to the environment and human health. Identify the human activities related to greenhouse gas emissions and address the society accordingly is a requirement. The importance of the initial measurement of GHG emissions is highlighted by the UNEP which states that, “companies will need to be able to measure their impacts if they are to manage them”. The main focus of this study is to develop a Carbon emission measuring frame work to facilitate tea estates.

It will play a significant role in establishing the baseline Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions for an estate in order to allow meaningful emission reductions to be made. The basis of this was to identify all carbon emission activities of an estate define the calculating formulas and make a model with them to calculate the total CO2 emissions. The developed model has been implemented in one real tea estate to determine its effectiveness and ability to establish a CO2 footprint for an estate. Here some of emission sources are yet to be included, such as the emissions embedded in chemicals, fertilizers and waste. In addition, its need calculate the sequestration of Carbon dioxide from the surrounding trees. Anyway the designed model provides a good way for find out the CO2footprint for tea estates.

Index Terms— Carbon emission of Estate , Greenhouse gasses, Scope one ,two & three emissions, Carbon model.

I. INTRODUCTION

Greenhouse gasses primarily Carbon dioxide, Methane and Nitrogen Dioxide secretion from human activities has become an environmental issue. Among others incessant increase of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have raised dramatically, leading to various adverse impacts. This call for greater attention and precautionary measures to be put in place, governments, business entities and consumers would be affected by the extent to which such precautionary measures are incorporated in their decision-making process. Business entities need to consider such issues as trading in carbon allowances (or permits), investing in low-carbon dioxide (CO2) emission technologies, counting the costs of carbon regularity compliance, and passing on the increased cost of carbon regulation to consumers through higher prices.

Ranathunga , J., Balachandran, K DEFRA (2001b) argues as the largest source of current direct and indirect emissions, in addition to their pivotal role in projected emissions (UNEP, 2000), the corporate sector has a Manuscript received May 13, 2015.

Pathirana HasanthiShyama Amarasinghe, University of Colombo, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka ,

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significant role to play in reducing the carbon intensity of this growth (DEFRA, 2001c; Eyre, 2001). Critically, most greenhouse gases are raise due to industrial activities and transportation. In the year 2011 two IPCC Special Report were finalized, the Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (SRREN) and the Special Report on Managing Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX).

The Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) is a report by the IPCC which was published in 2000. The SRES contains "scenarios" of future changes in emissions of greenhouse gases and sulfur dioxide. This aims to secure carbon reduction through a combination of fiscal measures, regulation, voluntary agreements and advisory policies (DEFRA, 2000).

The importance of the initial measurement of GHG emissions is highlighted by the UNEP which states that, “companies will need to be able to measure their impacts if they are to manage them”. Carbon foot print calculation and Carbon auditing would help to measuring monitoring and reporting the carbon emission at corporate level leading to mitigation of significant emissions. Carbon Foot Print measures the total set of Green House Gas emission caused directly and indirectly by a person, an organization an event or a product in a given time and is measured in tones of CO2 equivalent (CO2-e). Trend of Carbon reporting by global companies has increased.

Corporate companies in different business sectors report their carbon emissions and they aware their customers how much they involved to increase or decrease for the global Greenhouse gas inventory. Measuring and auditing of carbon emissions give a chance for the companies to reduce their carbon foot print in a cost-effective manner. Well-developed carbon measurement model, will provide the necessary framework to report their CO2emissions. It would benefit through numerous efficiency, effectiveness and cost saving improvements to the estate and in the meanwhile it would help to save the clean air.

On a more regional scale there are efforts being made to reduce CO emissions..Melican has recently undertaken 2 extensive research on tea's carbon footprint, and in his final analysis, he has found that tea has the potential to be an environmental saint rather than sinner when we measure its carbon footprint by a number of criteria.

Tea processing is one of energy intensive food processing industry which is consumed both thermal energy and electrical energy. Thermal energy is derived from firewood, coal, leco (coal), briquetted fuel and furnace oil. Withering, processing, rolling, fermentation, drying, sifting and packing are the processes use by estates to manufacturing tea which

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Developing a Carbon Emission Calculating Model for Tea Estates

are also main energy consumers in the tea factory. Thermal energy is used to remove the moisture from the tea leaves and also to dry the tea leaves. After Energy audits researches have shown that tea estates are high-energyconsumers and approximately 1. 5 million tons of Carbon emit per year based on production.The energy used to heat and light is an important fraction of the overall carbon emission , and the amount of CO produced from energy used in the transport 2 also play a major role. Combustion of fuel woods and corporate tours transport fuels also results GHG emission and the main release is CO2. Two different production processes, namely orthodox and CTC are employed in the tea industry.

In these processes the fuel mix varies depending upon the region.

II. METHODOLOGY Data has been gathered from one selected tea estate. Primary data of the estates has been gathered through a questionnaire.

Secondary data has been gathered through estate record books, running charts, stock book, invoices, magazines, publications, reports & journals.

D. Total Carbon Emission

(6) E. CALCULATION FOR SAMPLE ESTATE Scope One - Direct Emissions Stationery Combustion 2.92 t CO2-e/yr Waste Disposal 21.39 t CO2-e/yr Transport 11.001 t CO2-e/yr Scope Two -Indirect Emissions Purchased Electricity 112.904t CO2-e/yr Scope Three Indirect Emissions 26.67t CO2-e/yr

III. CARBON MODEL A. Scope One - Direct Emissions

Total Carbon Emission 174.88 t CO2-e/yr

Combustion of diesel for generators Combustion of Petrol for the machineries

IV. DISCUSSION When consider the total Carbon Emission it can be seen the main factor contributes for Carbon foot print is purchased electricity. It is 65% of the total. Transportation is the second and it contributes for 21% of total emission. Waste disposal contribute for 12% while stationery combustion accounts lowest percentage 1.6 %.

(1)

Business travels by estate own vehicles- Made teatransport, corporate vehicles

B. Scope Two -Indirect Emissions

Transportation also a major facet affect to the total carbon emission According to the sectorial consumption of petroleum product in Sri Lanka, transportation sector was represented the highest portion which was 48.97% of the total in 2007 and the CO2 Emissions from transportation sector was 32.5% of the total Energy consumption from fossil fuels (Energy balance, 2007). Awanthi&Nawarathne as cited in Nurul, 2009. In estate it is 21% including internal vehicles and outside vehicles transportation. Purchased electricity is 112 t CO2-e/yr which is the highest affect activity to the total carbon emission. It included total of production unit of an estate. Mainly this figure is higher because in a tea factory production process is going on full day and night, and it use for the processing machineries, bulbs, computers etc.

With this researcher has identified and reviewed the activities that can be used to reduce the CO2 emissions of a tea estate.

Recommendation for the next stage would be implement the current tool in estates with establishment of environment management system at the estate and it would help to carry out the model in entire process without leave out any element.

(4) C. Scope Three - Indirect Emissions Business travel from outside Mobile freight Employee owned vehicles

Its need to continue this study to investigate the areas yet to be incorporated into the estates Carbon audit such as CO2 embedded in the fertilizer, chemicals and soil in the estate.

For further develop the model the suggestion is to include total carbon offsetting calculation in to the model. It would be

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International Journal of Engineering, Management & Sciences (IJEMS) ISSN-2348 –3733, Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2015 helpful to calculate the current carbon offsetting of an estate [18] Emissions Audit Procedure, 22 as well it would guide the approximate number of trees [19] Mariska, A, 2011. Environmental management in the university sector: developing a Framework for the environmental audit of academic required to sequester the total amount of CO produced. departments.. Master. University of East Anglia: Norwich 2

V. ACKNOWLEDGMENT I am grateful to my supervisor Mr. Anura Jayathilaka, Director General of SACCEP for his valuable guidance, useful suggestions, and support in compiling this extended essay. In particular, many thanks to Prof Kennedy Gunawardanaof Sri Jayewardenepura University for his valuable input. Would like to thanks Prof. Sunil Chandrasiri, Dean of FGS Dr.Sumanadasa, , Course Coordinator - and all other lecturers & staff of Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Grateful for the time and co-operation of the staff of Finlay’s Tea Estates and for the staff of Ministry of Climate change secretariat for their valuable time in compiling this report.

With great love I remember, my beloved husband Mr. Rajesh and My dear Mother Ms. Mallikarrachchi for kind helpfulness throughout this project and also My two younger sisters Chaturika and Ishari for active involvement throughout the work.

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Educational Qualifications: Postgraduate Diploma- Environment Management from University of Colombo Sri Lanka 2012 Master in Business Studies from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka 2009 Postgraduate Diploma in Business Studies from University of Colombo Sri Lanka 2008 Bachelor in Bio Science fromUniversity of Ruhuna Sri Lanka 2005 Professional Qualifications Quantification of calculating GHG Emissions according to ISO 14064:2009 Standards Provisional Auditor –IRCA –UK ISO 22000 Employment :From 2007 to 2014 : Work as Assistant Manager Sustainability in Finlays Tea Estates Sri Lanka.

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