New Features for the EcoTransIT World Business Solutions
IVE and their scientific partners included again new features and updates to create even more customer-specific calculation results as well as more precise output values.
Truck methodology
With its most recent update EcoTransIT World now uses version 4.1 of the Handbook of Emission Factors. This new version is based on the analyses of much more driving cycles of different truck types and represents more realistic fuel consumptions.
Additionally, the user can now define the empty weight of a truck. This enables the calculation of very specific truck types, like tank or car trucks. A lighter truck body now results in a reduction of the fuel consumption and thereby this lowers the emissions.
Finally, we updated the default biofuel shares and the default emission classes per country. However, both can be adjusted in the calculation to a customer-specific parameter, if available.
Aviation methodology
Within the aviation methodology we updated our source Small Emitters Tool to the latest fuel consumption and included about 30 new aircraft types. By this EcoTransIT World can calculate now over 280 different plane types.
Additionally, we increased the usage of the aviation timetable data from OAG. Beside the calculation of freight weighted aircraft shares IVE included a routing based on the loops of the flight numbers. By this a realistic routing per carrier or codeshare carrier is enabled.
Finally, we added a new way to determine the properly correct airport, if the starting or end location isn’t an IATA-code. This enables the user to define a maximum distance for road feeder services which shall be used to reach a surrounding airport.
Inland waterway methodology
Finally, we added a new type of inland waterway vessels representing push boat with 2×2 barges. These vessel types are mainly used in the U.S. sector e.g. on the Mississippi river. The push boat convoy can be calculated as container or bulk vessel.
Logistic site calculation
The GLEC Framework and the upcoming ISO 14083 standard make the calculation of logistic sites as part of the supply chain mandatory. For this reason, IVE established a partnership with Fraunhofer IML to provide an interface from the REff-Tool to EcoTransIT World. By this it is possible to calculate the complete supply chain within one request in EcoTransIT World. The consideration of logistic sites is available in all interfaces of the Business Solutions.
External cost calculation
The European Union finalized in 2018 a project for the external cost calculation of freight transports. This project was realized by our partner INFRAS together with CE Delft. This most comprehensive methodology of the topic of external cost calculation is now integrated on a very detailed level in EcoTransIT World.
This new feature of external costs considers costs due to climate change, exhaust emissions, accidents, and noise for all transport types. To get more realistic results IVE integrated the consideration of urban and not urban areas within the routing. In combination with our comprehensive emission calculation the external cost calculation of EcoTransIT World is the most reliable source so far.