DownloadNREL OpenPATH is a revolutionary tool designed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to help you track your travel modes and assess their impact on energy consumption and carbon emissions. Available at https://nrel.gov/openpath, this platform empowers you to monitor your journeys—whether by car, bus, bike, or on foot—and gain insights into the sustainability of your travel choices.
By using NREL OpenPATH, communities can delve into their travel patterns, experiment with more eco-friendly options, and evaluate the outcomes. This data-driven approach is crucial for shaping effective transportation policies and planning, ultimately fostering the development of more sustainable and accessible urban environments.
The app not only informs individual users about the environmental impact of their travel decisions but also aggregates community-level data. This includes mode shares, trip frequencies, and carbon footprints, all of which are accessible through a public dashboard, providing a comprehensive view of collective travel behaviors.
NREL OpenPATH leverages continuous data collection and analysis through a smartphone app supported by a server and automated data processing. Its open-source framework ensures transparency in data handling and allows customization for specific studies or programs.
Upon installation, the app does not immediately collect or transmit data. You will need to join a study or program by clicking a link or scanning a QR code, after which you must consent to data collection and storage for the app to become operational. If you're not part of a partner community but want to understand your personal carbon footprint, you can participate in the open-access study run by NREL, where your data might contribute as a control in partner experiments.
At its core, NREL OpenPATH functions as an automatically generated travel diary, pieced together from background-sensed location and accelerometer data. You have the option to add semantic labels to your diary, as directed by program administrators or researchers.
It's worth noting that continuous GPS use in the background can significantly reduce your device's battery life. To mitigate this, the app smartly deactivates GPS when you're stationary, minimizing battery drain. With up to 3 hours of daily travel, the app typically results in about a 5% battery drain.
What's New in the Latest Version 1.9.1
Last updated on Oct 15, 2024
- Make push notifications optional since there are some programs that don't need them
