Table 11 - Pitt Electricity Data by GHG Inventory Year with Market-Based Data Included

2017 0.568 0.488 2019 0.529 0.413 2020 0.484 N/A

As shown in Table 11, Pitt’s FY20 total electricity consumption decreased by 6.46% (13,909 MWh) from FY19. This decrease is likely due to the 3.5 months of COVID-19 shutdown, when campus occupancy (and thus electricity demand) decreased significantly. Additionally, the number of cooling degree days decreased from FY19, likely resulting in decreased electricity consumption from reduced building air conditioning systems.

Even though electricity demand decreased for FY20, there was also an unexpected increase in GHG emissions. This emissions increase is attributed to the switch to using the Market-Based method for calculations beginning in FY20. To help contextualize this method change, Market-Based results for all inventory years are provided in Row 3 of Table 11, which also illustrates the expected decrease in GHG emissions given electricity usage reduction. However, to maintain consistency, past GHG inventory results have not been altered, will continue to be used moving forward, and are shown in Row 2 of Table 11.

As a result of the method changes discussed above, Pitt’s FY20 GHG emissions from purchased

electricity increased by 10,951 MT CO2e in FY20, a 14.8% increase compared to FY19 and a 38.9% decrease since FY08.

Table 11 - Pitt Electricity Data by GHG Inventory Year with Market-Based Data Included FY08 FY11 FY14 FY17 FY19 FY20*

Electricity Usage (MWh) 198,040 211,101 211,614 213,622 215,391 201,482 GHG Emissions (MT CO2e) 138,700 135,500 115,341 105,607 73,802 84,753

Market-Based GHG Emissions

(MT CO2e) 140,035 144,640 133,511 121,317 94,152 84,753

4.2.1.1 Purchased Unbundled Renewable Energy

In addition to purchasing electricity directly from retail suppliers that provide it to the university via the regional electricity grid, the University of Pittsburgh procures renewable energy via several different mechanisms. For FY20, these included unbundled renewable energy credits (RECs), which were acquired both within electrical procurement contracts and separately. RECs are “a market-based instrument that represents the property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power attributes of renewable electricity generation. RECs are issued when one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated and delivered to the electricity grid from a renewable energy resource” [18]. While the University has long-purchased small numbers of RECs specifically for LEED building certifications, they were not accounted for in Pitt’s GHG inventories until FY19. In FY20, Pitt had a total of 42,377 unbundled Green-e certified RECs (or 42,377 MWh, a 1.53% increase from FY19). As a result, 21% of Pitt’s FY20 annual electricity consumption is attributed to renewables (via RECs). Of the RECs, 1,204 were provided via an electricity contract for GL (general large) meters; 9,173 RECs were included in an electricity contract for GS/GM (general small and medium) meters; and 32,000 unbundled RECs were purchased under separate contract.

*3.5 months COVID-19 pandemic