Engineering Commons^™

A Resilient Decarbonization Package For The Hoopa Shopping Center, Esther Obikoya

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Hoopa Shopping Center, located within the Hoopa Valley Tribe Reservation, faces significant energy cost fluctuations and reliability issues. Given the susceptibility of remote communities to power disruptions, the Tribe's move toward achieving a sustainable and resilient power infrastructure is essential. This study investigates the technical and economic decarbonization strategies for the Hoopa Shopping Center, focusing on reducing energy bills, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through electrification and energy efficiency improvements, as well as the integration of renewable energy sources.

This decarbonization could be done in a way consistent with the development of a microgrid to energize the community …

Development Of Carbon Emission Assessment Tool Towards Promoting Sustainability In Cal State La, Arezoo Khodayari, Soumya Puvvada, Jamaie M. Scott, Chandra Mouli Rotta, Geeth Sekhar Chadalawada, Jivar Afshar, Carlos D. Linares, Brad Haydel

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

The great demand for the burning of fossil fuels has greatly increased greenhouse gases (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere. An increase in the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases produces a positive climate forcing or warming effect [EPA, Climate Change Indicators]. Therefore, mitigation of GHG concentrations is important to prevent long-term impacts on the environment. On April 4, 2016, California State University, Los Angeles signed the most comprehensive of Second Nature’s three Climate Leadership Commitments, the Climate Commitment. Following this commitment, California State University, Los Angeles, set the ambitious goal of operational carbon neutrality by the year 2040. To assist California …

Smoke, Air, Fire, Energy (Safe) In Rural California: Critical Reflections On An Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration, Deepti Chatti, Carisse Geronimo, Cassidy Barrientos, Jana Ganion, Malcolm Moncheur, Peter Alstone Phd, Shawn Bourque, Tanya Garcia, Tesfayohanes Yacob

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

This article provides a synthesis of the interconnected problems of tenuous energy access, wildfires, and exposures to high air pollution in Indigenous communities in rural California through the lens of ongoing collaborative research being carried out by researchers at Cal Poly Humboldt, Schatz Energy Research Center, Karuk Department of Natural Resources, and the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe. The collaboration is funded by the Strategic Growth Council of the state of California, and we hope is the beginning of a longer term relationship between all partners. We are an interdisciplinary team of researchers drawing on energy engineering, air pollution science, and …

Analyzing Residential Curbside Collection For Food Waste In Humboldt County, Yvette Lindler

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The most prevalent material in the California landfill-destined solid waste stream is food. Food waste is not only an economic and social concern, but a significant environmental challenge as well. Most food waste is disposed of in landfills, where it anaerobically decomposes and releases methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas and driver of climate change. Policies passed in California, including AB 1826 and SB 1383, aim to implement organic waste recycling programs and reduce methane emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills. The technology to process this food waste exists, but these facilities are limited or nonexistent in rural areas …

Food Waste Storage Gaseous Emissions Detection And Quantification Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Ryley A. Burton-Tauzer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A growing interest in sustainable waste management and the implementation of new policies have prompted a shift towards alternative resource recovery methods for organic waste, including food waste. To effectively assess alternative food waste treatment scenarios, it is important to evaluate the life cycle impacts associated with each scenario. The storage phase of food waste, encompassing its accumulation in kitchens, and storage in bins for collection and transportation, has been overlooked as a source of greenhouse gases in previous studies. This investigation aimed to identify the greenhouse gases emitted during the initial five-day period of low-oxygen storage. An open dynamic …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of Microplastic Removal And The Relationship Between Microplastics, Bacterial Communities, And Nitrogen Cycling In The Natural Treatment Systems At The Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility, Fiona Connor

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis addressed two challenging aspects of microplastic research, including the quantification of microplastics in organic-rich water, and the investigation of how microplastics impact microorganisms and related nutrient-cycling. Two projects were designed and executed to address specific research objectives relating to these broad topics. The first objective was to develop and implement methods to determine the effectiveness of microplastic removal across the natural treatment systems at the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF). The second objective was to observe how microplastics found in domestic wastewater impact the bacterial communities and nitrogen cycling in freshwater treatment wetland sediment through a bench-scale experiment, …

Sea Level Rise Analysis: High-Importance Access Road Protection, Max Alvin, Taylor Goodwyn, Karly Johnson, Pedro Valverde

Student Projects

Cal Poly Humboldt Environmental Resources Engineering Senior Capstone.

This report provides an analysis of design alternatives and ultimately a preferred design to ensure the longevity of Highway 101 near Orick, CA which is under threat of sea level rise (SLR). Highway 101 is the main transportation corridor for communities stretching from Arcata to Crescent City, California. Caltrans provided an area of interest along Highway 101 just southwest of Orick, between mile markers 119.58 and 119.92. The project area of interest is illustrated below in Figure ES-1. This stretch of Highway 101 borders low lying pastures and Redwood Creek's historic estuary. …

Big Lagoon Sea Level Rise, Kyra Cohen, Malia Seeley, Dustin Helliwell, Albert Wolff

Student Projects

Cal Poly Humboldt Environmental Resources Engineering Senior Capstone.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is highly concerned sea level rise (SLR), due to climate change and the potential negative impacts on the California transportation system. SLR is especially important for routes constructed at low elevations and those immediately adjacent to the coast where SLR is one of the largest threats to the transportation system along the coast. Rising sea levels are expected to disrupt the daily lives of Californians, specifically the coastal economies, which increases the risk to public safety and contributes to the decline of ecosystems that are vital …

Global And Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios For The United States, National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (Noaa)

State & Federal Reports and Publications

This report and accompanying datasets from the U.S. Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flood Hazard Scenarios and Tools Interagency Task Force provide 1) sea level rise scenarios to 2150 by decade that include estimates of vertical land motion and 2) a set of extreme water level probabilities for various heights along the U.S. coastline. These data are available at 1-degree grids along the U.S. coastline and downscaled specifically at NOAA tide-gauge locations. Estimates of flood exposure are assessed using contemporary U.S. coastal flood-severity thresholds for current conditions (e.g., sea levels and infrastructure footprint) and for the next 30 years (out …

Strategic Energy Master Planning For Carbon Neutrality, Marie Patterson

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

Universities across the United States are generating goals to be more sustainable and carbon neutral. The energy used in existing buildings on campuses amount to a large volume of greenhouse emissions and must be reduced to help achieve neutrality goals. Strategic Energy Master Plans are instrumental to support these goals through the development of recommendations to reduce energy. Calculating the energy use intensity for existing buildings, a main component of a Strategic Energy Master Plan, can help the campus understand where energy is being used the most. With this information the highest energy consuming buildings can be the focus of …

Flow Methods To Estimate Flow For Ungauged Catchments For The Development Of Small Hydroelectric Power In Northern California Watersheds, Bikash Pradhan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The demand for energy is increasing daily. Currently, non-renewable energy is used to meet much of the energy demand. Nonrenewable resources cause an increase in atmospheric carbon concentration and are a significant cause of climate change.

Governments throughout the world are supporting the use of renewable sources by providing financial and legislative support to reduce the carbon footprint in energy generation. In addition, having a variety of renewable energy sources in the portfolio would also complement each other, thereby providing a continuous supply of electricity to the people.

Redwood Coast Energy Authority is a local government Joint Powers Agency in …

Assessing The Potential And Pathways For Renewable Energy Transformations In Orleans, California, Malcolm Prescott Moncheur De Rieudotte

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In what is now known as the state of California in the United States, the Karuk Tribe is interested in deploying a renewable-powered microgrid in the rural community of Orleans to improve electricity system reliability and resilience to address a wide range of challenges, including extreme events such as wildfires. This study assesses the potential of local distributed renewable energy and battery storage to meet Orleans' energy needs today and in the increasingly electrified future using an energy model. It also identifies existing cultural and social priorities for energy technology along with structural barriers to renewable energy adoption and the …

Hydraulic Assessment Of Traditional And Fish-Friendly Tide Gates In Humboldt Bay, California, Marcela Anne Jimenez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Tide gates are common hydraulic structures located throughout coastal and estuarine areas that prevent tidal waves from flooding previously converted tidally influenced areas. As restoration efforts increase, more “fish-friendly” tide gates that allow for larger openings and longer opening periods are being installed to improve habitat for threatened or endangered species. The purpose of this thesis was to determine discharge and head loss coefficients for traditional and side-hinged tide gates that could be inputs for hydraulic models and improve tide gate sizing and design. The study sites included Gannon Slough and US 101 Slough in Humboldt, California that represented a …

A Techno-Economic Comparison Of Battery Electric And Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Transit Bus Fleet Options For Humboldt County, California, Aditya S. Kushwah Mr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study analyzes the techno-economic feasibility of converting the conventional transit bus fleet of the Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) into a battery-electric or a hydrogen-fueled bus fleet. The study identifies which of these technologies represents the more economically viable investment for HTA by analyzing the costs and benefits associated with each pathway. Both pathways involve zero-emission or low-emission technologies.

The study outcomes suggest that the conversion of the HTA’s current conventional fleet to an electric fleet is more feasible than conversion to a hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet. The total discounted cost (3% rate) of converting the 21-bus conventional fleet …

Electrification Of Domestic Hot Water To Aid The Integration Of Renewable Energy In The California Grid, Alejandro Cervantes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Water heating in residential buildings, also known as domestic hot water (DHW), is the third largest use of energy after appliances and space conditioning. About 90% of the residential buildings in the state use natural gas fueled water heaters, 6% use electricity, and a small percent use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or solar water heaters. The current energy use associated with residential water heating is small relative to the total amount of energy consumption in the residential building sector, but it is still a contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Improving hot water systems can be beneficial for bill customer …

A Comparison Of Zinc Levels In Runoff From Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt And Conventional Pavement, Peter A. Duin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

High levels of dissolved zinc in water bodies can be toxic to aquatic organisms. There are currently over 40 waterways in California that have on occasion been in exceedance of Clean Water Act minimum toxicity threshold standards for zinc. Recycled tires that contain 1-2% zinc by mass are commonly used in California paving formulations known as Rubberized Hot Mix Asphalt (RHMA). The addition of tires to RHMA increases the zinc content of the pavement in comparison to conventional HMA. This research assesses the zinc content and leaching rate of RHMA in field and laboratory settings to estimate its contribution of …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Replacing Lpg Stoves With Induction Stoves In Rural Households Of Kavre District Nepal, Grishma Raj Dahal

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Nepal imports nearly 260,000 tons of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other fossil fuels annually from India. This fuel dependency is one of the main reasons for Nepal’s trade deficit with India. The Government of Nepal has recently started promoting electric induction stoves for cooking as an alternative to LPG. Induction stoves are pollution free at the point of use, and they are meant to reduce Nepal's dependence on LPG.

This study includes a cost-benefit analysis for replacing LPG stoves with induction stoves for households in rural areas of Kavre District, Nepal. The study involved the use of data for …

Sediment Yield In Salmon Creek After Decommissioning Logging Roads, Northern Humboldt County, California, Malia S B Gonzales

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Salmon Creek watershed is located in the Headwaters Forest Reserve in northern California and is known for the ecological value of its old-growth redwood forest, high biodiversity, and sensitive habitat for endangered species. The Bureau of Land Management primarily manages the Reserve. The land-use history of the Upper Salmon Creek watershed includes extensive timber harvest and road development. Watershed restoration in the Upper Salmon Creek watershed started in 2000 with the primary goal for the Reserve to protect and recover ecologic diversity and threatened native species. Since then, of the 23 miles, 13.5 miles of logging roads and 101 stream …

Evaluation Of 1-D And 2-D Hydraulic Models For Designing And Assessing Fullspan Stream Crossings, Alyssa Sachiko Virgil

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This project compared design decisions and hydraulic analyses of full-span stream crossings using one- and two-dimensional (1-D and 2-D) hydraulic models. The project was initiated by the California Department of Transportation’s interest in moving from 1-D to 2-D hydraulic modeling and by the Federal Highways Administration’s support for adopting SRH-2D (Sedimentation and River Hydraulics-2D developed by the US Bureau of Reclamation) in Aquaveo, LLC’s Surface-water Modeling System as their standard design model. Two-dimensional hydraulic models calculate more detailed water depths and velocities than 1-D models, which can better identify fish passage conditions, areas of potential scour or deposition, and aquatic …

Building Energy Modeling And Techno-Economic Feasibility Analysis Of Zero Net Energy Tiny Homes In Coastal Humboldt County, California, Jeffrey Alan Harkness

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis conducts a techno-economic feasibility analysis of tiny homes. Scenarios generated using a mathematical and physical model of energy use of zero-net energy tiny homes in coastal Humboldt County are compared with conventional energy systems powered by fossil-fuels for lifecycle economic cost, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use. A residence of 2,425 ft.² (near the regional average) is simulated to offer a broader standard of comparison. A tiny home village model with outlying bedrooms and a central building for cooking, laundry and shower facilities is compared to a standalone tiny home model. A community services building …

Characterizing Accumulated Oxidation Pond Biosolids At The Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility, Joshua M. Martinez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Oxidation ponds (OPs) are a natural wastewater treatment system that have been used internationally for their low maintenance, cost, and technology characteristics. The City of Arcata has relied on the performance of their two-oxidation ponds for the past 50 years to meet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) discharge permit requirements. However, during specific times of the year and after decades of operation and minimal maintenance, these oxidation ponds serve as a source of solids and nitrogen that create stress for downstream components of the system. As bio solids have accumulated, the hydraulics of the OPs have deteriorated and the …

Assessment Of Uv Light For The Treatment Of Cyanotoxins In Small-Scale Drinking Water Treatment Systems, Ryan Spencer Mclintock

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are commonly caused by the rapid growth of cyanobacteria in fresh waterways, which many people rely on for drinking water. When a HAB occurs, a variety of cyanotoxins can be produced and released into sources of drinking water, which can make people sick or die if not properly treated. Two of the most common toxins are microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and anatoxin-a (A-a), for which the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum allowable concentration of 1 µg/L in drinking water to avoid health risks. The recommendation for maximum allowable concentration was calculated specifically for microcystins, but is …

Techno- Economic Feasibility Study Of Solar Water Pumping For Public Facilities In Nigeria, Anamika Singh

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis presents a techno-economic feasibility analysis of solar water pumping systems in public facilities located in rural parts of Nigeria. Three different public facilities namely, a primary health care center in Ibwa (PHC, Ibwa), a comprehensive health care center in Kwali (CHC, Kwali), and the LEA Primary School in Mapa (LEA School, Mapa), all located in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria, were analyzed. The facilities considered in the study have varying levels of water demand (micro, small, and medium), and they are used as cases to establish the techno-economic suitability of solar water pumping systems to deliver water …

Treatment Wetland Remediation Via In Situ Solids Digestion Using Novel Blue Frog Circulators, Kyle T. Sipes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

After 33 years of operation with little maintenance, the treatment wetlands at the Arcata Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWTF) suffer from reduced treatment capacity and internal loading issues, leading to reduced performance in recent years. The next NPDES permit for the facility will regulate discharge ammonia concentrations, and internal ammonia loads, associated with accumulated solids in the system, may lead to future regulation violations.

To begin addressing this problem, the City of Arcata entered into a rental agreement with Absolute Aeration to install two Blue Frog circulators in Treatment Wetland 3 (TW3). The goal of this project was to determine if …

Assessment Of Individual Photovoltaic Module Performance After 26 Years Of Field Exposure At The Telonicher Marine Lab In Trinidad, California, Jake Rada

Projects

In 1990, 192 ARCO M75 photovoltaic (PV) modules were installed as a part of the Schatz Solar Hydrogen Project at the Humboldt State University (HSU) Telonicher Marine Lab in Trinidad, California, within 150 m of the Pacific Ocean. This 9.2 kW-rated PV array was used to power the marine laboratory air compressor and an electrolyzer. Individual current-voltage (IV) curve tests were performed on each of the PV modules prior to the array’s construction in 1990 and again in 2001, 2010, and, most recently, in 2016, following decommissioning of the array. After 25.5 years of use, 188 of the original 192 …

Automatic Power Management For Instructional Computers At Humboldt State University: A Calculation Of Potential Energy Savings And Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions, Nicholas F. Flenghi

Projects

Computers consume an estimated 5,610 GWh per year in California alone. Much of that energy is consumed by computers that are not being used. In this project, detailed user login data are used to estimate the energy consumption of instructional computers at Humboldt State University (HSU) over the course of one semester. The data are also used to estimate the potential energy savings from automating the shutdown process. Potential cost savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions resulting from implementing an automatic-shutdown power management plan are also calculated.

There are approximately 1,000 computers used for teaching and learning purposes at …

An Investigation Of The Hydraulics In A Prototype Pool-And-Chute, Vortex Weir Fishway For Anadromous Fish Passage., Brendan Foster

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis presents the hydraulic characteristics and simulated passage efficiency of a hybrid pool-and-chute, vortex weir fishway designed by Michael Love & Associates. A physical 1:15 scale model was constructed and evaluated at an 8% slope over three prototype flow rates representing high and medium fish passage flows. The highest velocities and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) values were concentrated along the fishway centerline at the high and medium flow rate and the pool sides showed lower velocities and TKE. Large eddies spin laterally and longitudinally throughout each pool. The velocity vector directions at the lowest flow rate measured differed from …

The Technical, Economic, And Environmental Feasibility Of Rice Straw Residue For Biomass Energy Production In India, Gaurav Kumar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study assessed the feasibility of mobilizing rice straw (paddy residues) for small scale (250kW) bioenergy applications in India by establishing sustainable residue removal rates and cost of supply values for two production regions (Punjab and Haryana). A key objective was to refine the methodology for estimating costs for collection and transportation of rice straw harvesting for bioenergy use. The delivered cost of rice straw retrieved from one hectare of land and transported 10 km to the power plant has been estimated at INR 2.05 (USD 0.03) per kg. Various technological options have been explored for electricity generation from rice …

Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery Intake Improvements, Chelsea M. Mcneil

Projects

The Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery located in Warm Springs Oregon, is hampered with many issues that impact its effectiveness. In an effort to improve the effectiveness of the hatchery, United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) has expressed interest in modifying the existing intake to address a number of specific concerns. Five specific objectives have been identified to define the overall project scope. USFWS desires to provide a means to prevent frazil ice from forming on and around the hatchery intake screens, prevent sediment from collecting behind the weir and entering the hatchery intake, provide effective hatchery screening to …

Water Quality Evaluation Of Tire Derived Aggregate, Richela K. Maeda

Projects

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the rate that potential water quality contaminants leach from tire-derived aggregate (TDA) as a function of time. A laboratory and field experiment is conducted to provide insight into both controlled and field settings. The laboratory portion of this study also provides a basis for evaluating the effect that alternating periods of wet and dry weather have on the potential water quality impacts of the leachate as compared to the worst-case operating condition, when TDA is constantly submerged (i.e., when placed below the permanent groundwater table). The field experiment is used to …