How GreenMob Tracks CO2 Emissions
The GreenMob project, initiated in January and led by CARNET alongside partners like Instant System, WeCity, Start Romagna, Cesena City, DKV, and Viladecans City, aims to promote eco-friendly transport options and pollution reduction. Supported by EIT Urban Mobility, the project introduces a certified CO2 emissions calculator integrated into Mobility as a Service (MaaS) journey planners.
A key technology in the GreenMob project is the Wecity API, which calculates CO2 emissions and validates transportation modes. This API adheres to ISO14064-II standards, ensuring precision and reliability. The API operates in two modes: “Planned Trip” and “Actual Trip.” In the “Planned Trip” mode, the API analyses users’ travel intentions, typically derived from journey planners. It receives a set of geometries tagged with transport mode identifiers, estimates CO2 emissions for the planned trip, and compares these emissions against a reference baseline to highlight the potential environmental impact.
In the “Actual Trip” mode, the API validates the trips users take by analysing GPS data and motion control information from their smartphones. The process involves collecting GPS points and motion data from the user’s device, identifying the transport mode for each segment of the trip, and then calculating the CO2 emissions based on actual travel. These emissions are then compared to those of a reference trip to ensure precise validation and provide accurate data later used for gamification and reward systems based on real-world travel behaviour.
The CO2 emissions calculation methodology is based on a reference baseline determined by several factors, including the country, the type of area crossed (urban or non-urban), the density of the crossed areas, and the day of the week (weekday or holiday). Additionally, parameters such as average modal split factors and vehicle occupancy rates are periodically updated from official sources. These parameters allow for precise calculation of reference baselines for individual areas, ensuring that the CO2 emissions data is both accurate and reliable.
To test the effectiveness of the platform, the GreenMob project will conduct pilot demonstrations in three cities: Cesena in Italy, Viladecans in Spain, and Debrecen in Hungary. These cities have been selected to represent diverse urban environments, allowing the project to gather insights into the implementation and performance of the solution. The pilots aim to validate the solution’s effectiveness and pave the way for broader adoption, which will come in the upcoming steps of the development.
By integrating this functionality into MaaS journey planners, GreenMob helps users make environmentally conscious travel decisions. This aims to reduce CO2 emissions by promoting a culture of sustainability and environmental awareness, ultimately contributing to a greener future. As the project progresses through its pilot demonstrations, the insights gained will inform further development and widespread implementation.
