Transaction Carbon Footprint Calculation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack an effective method to calculate and display the carbon footprint of individual transactions and overall carbon impact for users, failing to provide users with actionable insights to reduce their carbon emissions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that receive transaction data from various sources, calculate carbon emissions by associating each transaction with a merchant's carbon impact, and display this information to users, allowing them to set goals and track their carbon footprint, compare with peers, and make informed choices to reduce their carbon footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If carbon footprint calculation systems are implemented for individual transactions, then user awareness and ability to reduce carbon emissions is improved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments carbon footprint calculation into individual transaction-level measurements rather than aggregate corporate-level measurements. Each transaction is independently tracked with its own carbon footprint calculation, allowing users to see the impact of specific purchases and make targeted reductions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary carbon footprint calculation system that bridges transaction data and environmental impact information. This intermediary layer processes transaction data, calculates carbon footprints using standardized methods, and presents information to users in an actionable format, reducing the complexity burden on both users and underlying systems.
2Loss of information
If transaction-level carbon data is provided to users, then user understanding of carbon impact is improved, but data processing and calculation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary carbon footprint calculations by establishing carbon intensity factors for different merchants and transaction types in advance. These pre-calculated factors are stored and applied to individual transactions, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculations and improving data processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms complex carbon footprint data into simplified parameters such as carbon intensity factors and per-transaction carbon values. By changing the representation of carbon data from detailed emission inventories to standardized parameters, the system reduces processing requirements while maintaining information quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method may determine or display the carbon emissions impact for transactions, by for example receiving from transaction data sources data items describing transactions, each transaction associated with a user, a merchant, and an amount; for each transaction receiving or creating carbon emissions impact data for the merchant associated with the transaction; and deriving from the amount associated with the transaction and the carbon emissions impact data for the merchant associated with the transaction a carbon emission value associated with the transaction. Each data item may include a transaction amount and a merchant identifier, and/or other information. Calculating carbon emissions for the transaction may include multiplying the currency amount associated with the transaction and the carbon emissions impact data for the merchant associated with the transaction and dividing the result by the annual revenue for the merchant. The carbon emissions value may be displayed to a user.