Title : Carbon accounting and emission mitigation in higher education institutions: Evidence-based study of Delhi Technological University
Abstract:
Higher Education Institutions are equivalent to small cities due to large population, high energy consumption, large quantities of waste and generation, being hub of knowledge and cutting edge research are often encouraged more to achieve carbon neutral goals due to and present practical examples to potential followers by identifying the emission hotspots and inculcate the lessons of sustainability. This study presents an integrated carbon accounting and mitigation assessment of Delhi Technological University (DTU), Delhi, with emphasis on electricity consumption, on-site renewable energy generation, diesel consumption and circular waste-management interventions.
Campus-level activity based data were collected for electricity consumption, solar electricity generation, diesel consumption in DG sets and waste-management practices. Emissions were organized according to Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emission categories, while mitigation measures were assessed separately in terms of avoided emissions. Scope 1 emissions were associated primarily with direct diesel combustion in DG sets, while purchased grid electricity was considered under Scope 2. Waste generated within campus and its treatment pathway were considered within Scope 3, Category 5. The mitigation potential associated with on-site solar generation, composting and treatment of food waste through a waste-to-energy system were also evaluated.
The annual electricity consumption was 8.68 GWh during 2025, while 5.93% of annual electricity consumption was generated through solar PV system, which also represents a measurable contribution of renewable energy transition in reducing dependence on grid electricity and Scope 2 emissions. Electricity generation from solar PV system resulted in an estimated avoidance of approximately 368.5 t CO?e annually. The DG sets in hostels and campus operates on diesel, representing a direct source of Scope 1 emissions from fuel combustion resulting in 1.93 tCO?e emissions annually quantified using appropriate activity-specific emission factors.
The campus waste-management pathways include aero-bin based composting and organic waste-to-energy recovery plant. The waste-to-energy treatment facility processes approximately 650 kg of food waste per day and generates approximately 74.2 kWh of electricity per day or approximately 27.1 MWh annually, while the resulting sludge is used as manure in campus horticultural activities. Additionally, 28-32 kg of dry compost is generated per month through compost bins by processing 10-15kg/day of wet organic waste including fruit and vegetable peels and yard waste, which is further used for horticultural activities within campus, thereby diverting biodegradable material from conventional disposal. Composting and waste-to-energy treatment were evaluated against a landfill-based baseline to estimate the potential avoided emissions associated with diversion of organic waste from landfilling.
By integrating Scope 1–3 accounting with intervention-specific avoided-emission assessment this study provides a more comprehensive representation of the carbon performance of university campuses. The findings highlight the potential of combining renewable electricity and organic-waste diversion as few practical pathways for reducing the carbon intensity of higher education institutions. The proposed approach can serve as a replicable framework for campus-level carbon accounting and evidence-based decarbonization planning in Indian universities.
