NREL OpenPATH

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Open Platform for Agile Trip Heuristics (NREL OpenPATH, available at https://nrel.gov/openpath) revolutionizes how individuals and communities track their travel modes, such as car, bus, bike, or walking, and measure their energy consumption and carbon emissions. This powerful tool empowers users to gain insights into their travel habits, experiment with more sustainable options, and evaluate the outcomes, ultimately aiding in the development of effective transportation policies and fostering more sustainable and accessible urban environments.

NREL OpenPATH not only provides personalized feedback to users on the environmental impact of their travel choices but also aggregates community-level data. This includes mode shares, trip frequencies, and carbon footprints, which are accessible through a public dashboard, enhancing transparency and community engagement.

The platform utilizes a smartphone app supported by a server for continuous data collection and analysis. Its open-source framework ensures transparent data handling and allows customization for specific research programs or studies. Upon first installation, the app does not automatically collect or transmit data. Users must opt-in to participate in a study or program by clicking a link or scanning a QR code, and consent to data collection and storage before the app starts functioning. For those not part of a specific community program but interested in tracking their personal carbon footprint, joining the NREL-run open-access study is an option, where their data may serve as a control in partner experiments.

At its core, NREL OpenPATH functions as an automatically generated travel diary, using background-sensed location and accelerometer data. Users can further enrich this diary with semantic labels as directed by program administrators or researchers. It's worth noting that continuous GPS use in the background can significantly reduce battery life. To mitigate this, the app smartly deactivates GPS when the user is stationary, limiting battery drain to approximately 5% for up to 3 hours of daily travel.

What's New in the Latest Version 1.9.1

Last updated on Oct 15, 2024

• Users can now opt-out of push notifications, catering to programs that do not require them.