Calculating Energy Savings and Projected Emissions Reduced - Bangladesh Case Study

Calculating Energy Savings and Projected Emissions Reduced in Bangladesh Using the CLEER Tool

A Case Study of Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvement Options
By Kevin Kurkul, Derina Man, John Venezia

Bangladesh is a rapidly growing country that aims to diversify its industries, becoming a middle-income country by 2021. Achieving economic growth will be accompanied by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and challenges of meeting electricity demand. While Bangladesh’s absolute emissions accounted for a mere 0.38% of global emissions in 2013, its emissions growth in recent years is significant, increasing by 93% from 1990-2013. A key opportunity for addressing these challenges is identifying and implementing energy efficiency improvement options.

Toward this end, USAID supported an assessment of the energy and greenhouse gas emission benefits associated with eight energy efficiency improvement options using the online Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Tool.

The Catalyzing Clean Energy in Bangladesh (CCEB) Project

The CCEB project launched in 2012 to support energy sector development for energy security, economic growth and emissions mitigation in Bangladesh. As part of this effort, CCEB supports the identification and implementation of the energy efficiency improvement options in industrial textile, frozen food, jute, and steel re-rolling facilities. The intervention begins with an audit conducted by certified energy auditors. After the audit, partners are invited to apply for an incentive grant award to cover up to 30% of the energy efficiency investment costs. As of mid-2015, the project had conducted 100 initial energy efficiency audits and 38 investment-grade audits, and had begun implementation of 74 efficiency improvements at 27 small and medium-sized industrial facilities.

Image

This efficient thermo oil heating system and exhaust gas boiler are saving 30,620 GJ of energy annually at an apparel factory.

Using CLEER to Estimate Benefits

The RALI team coordinated with CCEB to gather project data on energy and fuel savings from efficiency improvement implementation at eight small- or medium-sized industrial facilities. These data were used to calculate annual and projected energy savings. Using the CLEER Tool, the team translates those savings into greenhouse gas reductions. CLEER is designed to provide project designers, managers, and implementers with an easy way to estimate and track current and future energy and emissions benefits from a wide range of clean energy activities. Additionally, cost savings resulted from the efficiency improvements implemented in 2015.

Of the 74 energy efficiency improvements underway in Bangladesh, this study investigated eight completed interventions as of 2015. In 2015, these interventions were estimated to have saved 51,081 GJ of energy, 3,268 tCO2e of GHGs, and US$668,250 in the year 2015 alone. Through 2030, they are expected to save more than 848,000 GJ of energy and reduce GHG emissions by more than 54,000 tCO2e. If similar GHG impacts are attained by the other 66 planned EEIOs, the total GHG reductions through 2030 is likely to approach 500,000 tCO2e, roughly equivalent to taking over 105,000 U.S. passenger vehicles off the road for one year.
 

Additional Resources:

Any feedback or questions on the CLEER Tool can be sent to CLEERHelp@icf.com.

This case study is one of a series being developed by the USAID Resources to Advance LEDS Implementation (RALI) project to demonstrate how to calculate USAID Global Climate Change (GCC) standard indicators for different types of clean energy activities. This case study calculates results achievable from energy efficiency interventions, including potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through 2030, which can be reported under USAID GCC clean energy standard indicators.
 
Note: USAID does substantial work supporting clean energy reforms that are not easily quantified but may have a greater impact than the activities described here. RALI seeks to develop cost-effective methodologies for assessing the impact of the full range of clean energy assistance provided by USAID.

Country
Bangladesh
Strategic Objective
Mitigation
Topics
Emissions, Low Emission Development, Clean or Renewable Energy, Mitigation, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, Indicators, Resilience
Region
Asia, Global

Kevin Kurkul

Kevin Kurkul is an Associate at ICF, a global professional services firm that delivers consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, and other areas. Kevin leads outreach and training for the Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Tool, which enables users to estimate, track, and report GHG reductions from clean energy. Kevin also works on developing new methodologies to estimate GHG reductions from clean energy, and on developing GHG inventories and reporting guidelines.

Derina Man headshot

Derina Man

Derina Man is a Senior Managing Consultant at ICF, a global professional services firm that delivers consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, and other areas. Derina provides technical and policy support related to low-emissions development strategies, greenhouse gas accounting and mitigation, and the phase-out of fluorinated gases. She is currently the project manager for the USAID Transparency and Long-Term Strategies project.

John Venezia

John Venezia is a Principal at ICF, a global professional services firm that delivers consulting services and technology solutions in energy, climate change, and other areas. John manages the development of the Clean Energy Emission Reduction (CLEER) Tool, which enables users to estimate, track, and report GHG reductions from clean energy. He has 18 years of experience in greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory development, designing GHG estimation and reporting guidelines, and analyzing the costs and reduction potential of GHG mitigation strategies. He is an internationally recognized expert in energy GHG emissions and in national GHG emission inventories, and serves on the UNFCCC's Roster of Experts.

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