Tracking Emissions Data

Abstract

A system for use in transport vehicles includes an auxiliary power unit (APU) for a transport vehicle, the APU having a locator unit for use in a tracking and monitoring system for communicating over a communication network. The locator unit can be attached to or installed within the APU or any other form of auxiliary provided power. Furthermore, the locator unit can have multiple sensor inputs that can read and store sensor data, including location information and emissions output. Then, the locator unit can transmit that information to a remote monitoring station or can use that information to calculate emission reduction data information for conversion to one or more emission reduction credits.

1 . A method comprising generating a tradable emission reduction credit based on an amount of time a transport vehicle, while located in a nonattainment area, is not operating a primary power source configured to drive the transport vehicle and is operating a secondary power source not configured to drive the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data for the transport vehicle from a plurality of sensors, wherein one of the plurality of sensors comprises a location sensor, and wherein a second of the plurality of sensors identifies which of the primary and secondary power sources are in operation;   based on the data received from the location sensor, determining whether the transport vehicle is located within a nonattainment area; and   when the transport vehicle is within the nonattainment area, based on the data received from the second sensor generating an emission reduction credit attributable to the transport vehicle for one or more emission types for an amount of time during which the transport vehicle is located in the nonattainment area.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first of the at least two power sources comprises a main engine of the transport vehicle, said main engine providing electrical power and mechanical output to drive the transport vehicle, and
 wherein the second of the at least two power sources comprises an auxiliary power unit of the transport vehicle, said auxiliary power unit providing electrical power not usable to drive the transport vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each power source of the at least two power sources has corresponding known emissions information, and wherein the auxiliary power unit has less emissions than the main engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating the emission reduction credit comprises:
 obtaining standard emissions data for one or more emission types for the main engine of the transport vehicle;   obtaining standard emissions data for the one or more emission types for the auxiliary power unit of the transport vehicle;   determining an emissions reduction value based on an amount of time that the transport vehicle was located within a nonattainment area while the auxiliary power unit was running; and   determining the emission reduction credit based on the emissions reduction value.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein calculating the emissions reduction value for each of the one or more emission types comprises:
 multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power unit was running by the standard emission data for each emission type for the auxiliary power unit to obtain a first value for each emission type;   multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power unit was running by the standard emission data for each emission type for the main engine to obtain a second value for each emission type; and   subtracting, for each emission type, the first value from the second value to obtain the total emissions reduction value for each emission type.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the transport vehicle was located within a nonattainment area comprises:
 identifying a location of the transport vehicle while the secondary power unit was running; and   comparing the location with a database containing nonattainment area locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a nonattainment area location.   
     
     
         8 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable data comprising software instructions that, when executed, configure a data processing system to generate a tradable emission reduction credit based on an amount of time a transport vehicle, while located in a nonattainment area, is not operating a primary power source configured to drive the transport vehicle and is operating a secondary power source not configured to drive the transport vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The computer readable media of  claim 8 , wherein said instruction further configure the data processing system to:
 receive data for the transport vehicle from a plurality of sensors, wherein one of the plurality of sensors comprises a location sensor, and wherein a second of the plurality of sensors identifies which of the primary and secondary power sources are in operation;   based on the data received from the location sensor, determine whether the transport vehicle is located within a nonattainment area; and   when the transport vehicle is within the nonattainment area, based on the data received from the second sensor, generate an emission reduction credit attributable to the transport vehicle for one or more emission types for an amount of time during which the transport vehicle is located in the nonattainment area.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the first of the at least two power sources comprises a main engine of the transport vehicle, said main engine providing electrical power and mechanical output to drive the transport vehicle, and
 wherein the second of the at least two power sources comprises an auxiliary power unit of the transport vehicle, said auxiliary power unit providing electrical power not usable to drive the transport vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable media of  claim 10 , wherein each power source of the at least two power sources has corresponding known emissions information, and wherein the auxiliary power unit has less emissions than the main engine. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable media of  claim 10 , wherein generating the emission reduction credit comprises:
 obtaining standard emissions data for one or more emission types for the main engine of the transport vehicle;   obtaining standard emissions data for the one or more emission types for the auxiliary power unit of the transport vehicle;   determining an emissions reduction value based on an amount of time that the transport vehicle was located within a nonattainment area while the auxiliary power unit was running; and   determining the emission reduction credit based on the emissions reduction value.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable media of  claim 12 , wherein calculating the emissions reduction value for each of the one or more emission types comprises:
 multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power unit was running by the standard emission data for each emission type for the auxiliary power unit to obtain a first value for each emission type;   multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power unit was running by the standard emission data for each emission type for the main engine to obtain a second value for each emission type; and   subtracting, for each emission type, the first value from the second value to obtain the total emissions reduction value for each emission type.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable media of  claim 8 , wherein determining whether the transport vehicle was located within a nonattainment area comprises:
 identifying a location of the transport vehicle while the secondary power unit was running; and   comparing the location with a database containing nonattainment area locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a nonattainment area location.   
     
     
         15 . A transport vehicle, comprising:
 a primary power source for powering movement of the transport vehicle;   an auxiliary power source for providing power to one or more electrical systems of the transport vehicle, and not configured to power movement of the transport vehicle;   a first sensor that outputs first information usable to determine a location of the transport vehicle; and   a second sensor that outputs second information usable to determine whether each of the primary and auxiliary power sources are operating.   
     
     
         16 . The transport vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein said transport vehicle comprises a class of vehicle requiring a commercial driver's license to legally operate. 
     
     
         17 . The transport vehicle of  claim 15 , wherein said transport vehicle comprises a locomotive. 
     
     
         18 . The transport vehicle of  claim 15 , further comprising a data processing unit operable in accordance with stored computer executable instructions that, when executed by the data processing unit, generate a tradable emission reduction credit based on an amount of time the transport vehicle, while located in a nonattainment area, is not operating the primary power source and is operating the auxiliary power source. 
     
     
         19 . The transport vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the primary power source has first known emissions information for a plurality of pollutants,
 wherein the auxiliary power source has second known emissions information for the plurality of pollutants, and   wherein generating the tradable emission reduction credit comprises:
 multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power source was running by the first known emissions information for each of the plurality of pollutants to obtain a first value for each of the plurality of pollutants; 
 multiplying an amount of time the auxiliary power source was running by the second known emissions information for each of the plurality of pollutants to obtain a second value for each of the plurality of pollutants; and 
 subtracting, for each emission type, the second value from the first value to obtain the total emissions reduction value for each emission type. 
   
     
     
         20 . The transport vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein generating the tradable emission reduction credit further comprises generating a plurality of emission reductions credits, each corresponding to one of the plurality of pollutants.