Discover the power of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Open Platform for Agile Trip Heuristics (NREL OpenPATH, https://nrel.gov/openpath). This innovative app allows you to meticulously track your travel modes—whether you're driving a car, riding a bus, cycling, or walking—and accurately measure the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with each journey.

NREL OpenPATH isn't just about personal insights; it empowers entire communities to understand their travel patterns, explore sustainable alternatives, and evaluate the outcomes. These insights can drive impactful transportation policies and urban planning, paving the way for more sustainable and accessible cities.

As an individual, you'll gain a clearer picture of the environmental impact of your travel choices. On a broader scale, the app provides a public dashboard displaying aggregated data on mode shares, trip frequencies, and community carbon footprints, fostering transparency and collective action.

The app's functionality hinges on continuous data collection and analysis, facilitated through a smartphone app connected to a server with automated data processing capabilities. Its open-source framework ensures transparent data handling, while also allowing for customization to meet the needs of specific programs or studies.

When you first install NREL OpenPATH, rest assured that no data is collected or transmitted. To participate, you'll need to join a study or program by clicking a link or scanning a QR code, followed by consenting to data collection and storage. If you're not affiliated with a partner community but wish to track your personal carbon footprint, you can join the NREL-managed open-access study, where your data may contribute to control experiments conducted by our partners.

At its heart, NREL OpenPATH functions as an automatically generated travel diary, pieced together from background-sensed location and accelerometer data. You have the option to add detailed annotations, as specified by program administrators or researchers.

Be mindful that continuous GPS use in the background can significantly deplete your device's battery life. However, the app is designed to automatically deactivate GPS when you're stationary, which helps minimize battery consumption. Expect approximately a 5% battery drain for up to 3 hours of daily travel.

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