lowtrip
lowtrip copied to clipboard
XavB64
A web app to compute travel CO2eq for different means of transport worldwide
a web app to compute travel CO2eq for different means of transport worldwide
The work presented here is independent and not-for-profit. This work has been carried out on a voluntary basis.
The aim of this web app is to present precise carbon inventories per passenger for each mode of transport and each journey. These results enable users to make informed choices in the context of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change. To put these results into context, total net yearly per-capita emissions should not exceed 2 tons CO2eq in 2050 to limit global warming below +2°C.
How the emissions are calculated?
To calculate CO2 equivalent emissions per person, we multiply the distance of a journey (km) by the corresponding emission factor (mass of CO2 equivalent per person per km) of a mean of transport. For a mutlistep journey, these emissions are summed over the different steps:
$$CO_2eq = \sum_{step} Distance(km) \times Emission \: Factor(kgCO_2eq / km) $$
Estimation of distances
| Mean of Transport | Distance |
|---|---|
Train |
OpenStreetMap network |
Car & Bus & eCar |
OpenStreetMap network |
Bike route |
OpenStreetMap network |
Plane |
Geodesic distance and average detour |
Ferry |
Approximation of shortest path |
What do emission factors depend on?
| Mean of Transport | Variable |
|---|---|
Train |
Visited countries |
Bus |
- |
Car |
Number of passengers |
Electric car |
Visited countries & Number of passengers |
Bike route |
- |
Plane |
Distance of journey |
Ferry |
User-specified parameters based on https://futur.eco/simulateur/transport/ferry/empreinte-du-voyage |
Sailboat |
50gCO2/pkm ; improvements on the way |
Emissions factors consider usage (linked to the manufacture and use of energy to move the vehicle) as well as infrastructure and vehicle construction where these are significant. The table below summarizes the types of emissions taken into account by lowtrip. Empty cells mean that the related emissions did not contribute significantly to the result and are therefore excluded to facilitate understanding and readability for the user.
| Mean of Transport | Usage | Vehicle construction | Infrastruture construction |
|---|---|---|---|
Train |
:white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: | |
Car & Bus & eCar |
:white_check_mark: | :white_check_mark: | |
Bike route |
:white_check_mark: | Not found | |
Plane |
:white_check_mark: | ||
Ferry |
:white_check_mark: | Not found | Not found |
All assumptions, data and sources used are available in the methodology document.
How to launch the app?
Prerequisites
Have python & node installed
Launch the backend
Go in backend folder :
cd backend
Install the dependencies :
pip install -r requirements.txt
Launch :
gunicorn app:app
Launch the frontend
Go in frontend folder :
cd frontend
Install the dependencies :
npm install
Launch :
npm start
How to cite this work ?
Bonnemaizon, Xavier, Ni, Clara, Gres, Paola & Pellas, Chiara. lowtrip (2024). https://lowtrip.fr
XavB64