Methodology

Our methodology is based on collecting real data on carbon emissions. To better aid our users in making informed decisions about their travel choices, we developed an application that will help calculate carbon emissions produced from their transportation choices. We will be using a carbon footprint analysis in order to find the necessary data and statistics to calculate the emissions. By default, there will be six options for the users to choose from - Bus, Car, Motorbike, Air Travel, Train, Ferry and Bicycle. Users will also be asked to choose what type of vehicle it is for eg. petrol, diesel, hybrid, hydrogen and electric, and the amount of kilometres travelled using that vehicle. Using the information provided, the carbon emissions will be calculated using the formula in the carbon calculator.

Calculations

To calculate the total carbon emissions produced, we factor in the transport emissions produced per passenger per kilometre for each respective vehicle used multiplied by the total kilometres travelled:

\( \text{CO}_2 \) * km = total carbon emissions

  1. Cars: fuel types and emissions in kg

    • Gasoline: 0.0384
    • Diesel: 0.0342
    • Hybrid: 0.0298
    • Electric: 0.0106
    • Hydrogen: 0*

    *although they do not produce any emissions other than water, hydrogen gas, when leaked into the atmosphere, has a Global Warming Potential of around 11, compared to CO2 which has a GWP of 1.

  1. Motorbike: engine size and emissions in kg

    • ≤ 125cc: 0.0415
    • 125cc to 500cc: 0.0505
    • > 500cc: 0.0665

    The greater the engine size, the more carbon emissions is produced.

  1. Bus: fuel types and emissions in kg

    • Diesel: 0.105
    • Hybrid: 0.054
    • Electric: 0.02052

    We are assuming that it is a typical urban bus which carries approximately 70 passengers each time.

  1. Train: fuel types and emissions in kg

    • Diesel: 0.091
    • Electric (Nordic): 0.024
    • Electric (EU): 0.007

    The Nordic standard differentiates from the EU standard since energy production in the Nordic countries is much greener, with a higher percent of the produced energy coming from renewable resources.

  1. Ferry: speed and emissions in kg

    • Regular: 0.091
    • High speed: 0.024
    • Electric (EU): 0.007

    Regular ferries are those within the country whereas high-speed ferries are those who travel across countries. For all ferries, we are assuming that each ferry holds an average of 309 passengers.

  1. Air Travel: flight type and emissions in kg

    • Domestic: 0.224
    • Short haul: 0.15 - 0.225
    • Long haul: 0.147 - 0.558
    • International: 0.14 - 0.56

    The different types of classes will affect these calculations: Economy class, Premium economy, Business class, and First Class.

  1. Bicycle

      No carbon emissions are being produced for bicycles.

  1. By foot

      No carbon emissions are being produced for walking.