METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND REPORTING EMISSIONS

• US 20090018884A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verisae (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Verisae (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: McConnell, Robert, Hepperla, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/90 Financial instruments for climate change mitigation, e.g. environmental taxes, subsidies or financing

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and systems of tracking enterprise gas emissions such as greenhouse gas emissions. The systems and methods relate to collecting or entering data relating to one or more emissions source of an enterprise or an enterprise location, calculating emissions totals, and, according to certain embodiments, generating emissions reports.

Claims

1. A network-based emissions tracking system for an enterprise, the system comprising:

(a) a central processor accessible on a computer network;

(b) an asset database in communication with the central processor, the asset database configured to store;

(i) asset information relating to a plurality of assets at a plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of assets comprises at least one indirect emissions asset powered at least in part by at least a first indirect emissions source; and

(ii) usage information relating to each of the plurality of assets;

(c) a client processor in communication with the central processor, the client processor configured to allow for inputting to the asset database any portion of the asset information and the usage information; and

(d) emissions tracking software associated with the central processor, the emissions tracking software configured to calculate and track a calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one indirect emissions asset based on the usage information and a factor associated with the first indirect emissions source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first indirect emissions source comprises an electricity provider.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electricity provider comprises at least one coal plant or at least one windmill.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first indirect emissions source comprises a steam provider or a heat provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the factor associated with the first indirect emissions source is an eGRID factor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track the calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the at least one indirect emissions assets based on the usage information and the factor associated with at least the first indirect emissions source.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a second indirect emissions source, wherein the at least one indirect emissions asset is further configured to be powered at least in part by the second indirect emissions source.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track the calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one indirect emissions asset based on the usage information, the factor associated with the first indirect emissions source, and a factor associated with a second indirect emissions source.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of assets further comprises at least one direct emissions asset.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track an actual greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one direct emissions asset based on the usage information and a factor associated with the at least one direct emissions asset.

11. A network-based emissions tracking system for tracking emissions of a plurality of assets located at a plurality of locations of an enterprise, the system comprising:

(a) a central processor accessible on a computer network;

(b) an asset database in communication with the central processor, the asset database configured to store;

(i) asset information relating to the plurality of assets located at the plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of assets comprises;

(1) at least one indirect emissions asset powered at least in part by at least a first indirect emissions source; and

(2) at least one direct emissions asset; and

(ii) usage information relating to each of the plurality of assets;

(c) a client processor in communication with the central processor, the client processor configured to allow for inputting to the asset database any portion of the asset information and the usage information; and

(d) emissions tracking software associated with the central processor, the emissions tracking software configured to

(i) calculate and track an actual greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one direct emissions asset; and

(ii) calculate and track a calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one indirect emissions asset based on the usage information and a factor associated with the first indirect emissions source.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to

(a) calculate and track the actual greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the at least one direct emissions assets at a particular location of the plurality of locations;

and

(b) calculate and track the calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the at least one indirect emissions assets at the particular location of the plurality of locations.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track a total greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the assets at a particular location of the plurality of locations.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track a total greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the plurality of locations.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track a total greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the enterprise.

16. A network-based emissions tracking system for an enterprise, the system comprising:

(a) a central processor accessible on a computer network;

(b) an asset database in communication with the central processor, the asset database configured to store;

(i) asset information relating to a plurality of assets at a plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of assets comprises at least one vehicle; and

(ii) usage information relating to each of the plurality of assets;

(c) a client processor in communication with the central processor, the client processor configured to allow for inputting to the asset database any portion of the asset information and the usage information; and

(d) emissions tracking software associated with the central processor, the emissions tracking software configured to calculate and track a greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to the at least one vehicle.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track an actual greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to at least one of the at least one vehicles.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track a calculated greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to at least one of the at least one vehicles.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the emissions tracking software is further configured to calculate and track a total greenhouse gas emissions amount relating to all of the at least one vehicles based at a particular location.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one vehicle comprises at least one of a truck, a ship, a train, or an airplane.