Patent Document ID: 8645151
Application ID: 13629186
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A system for estimating a carbon dioxide emission of an entity, comprising: a machine having a processor and a memory; a communication port in communication with the memory and configured to receive data from a data source relating to an industry, sector, or sub-sector to which the entity belongs; at least a first module comprising instructions executing so as to configure the processor to implement an algorithm that transforms the data into an estimate of the carbon dioxide emission of the entity, the algorithm employing at least one of: i. a CO2 model, the CO2 model being configured to generate the estimate of the carbon dioxide emission of the entity based on a previous carbon dioxide emission of the entity that is processed in relation to at least one of a magnitude of sales of the entity and the number of employees of the entity; ii. an energy model, the energy model being configured to generate the estimate of the carbon dioxide emission of the entity based on a previous energy purchase by the entity that is processed in relation to data pertaining to one or more entities that are comparable to the entity; iii. a median model, the median model being configured to generate the estimate of the carbon dioxide emission of the entity based on a median calculation of carbon dioxide emissions among one or more entities that are comparable to the entity; and iv. a policy model, the policy model being configured to generate the estimate of the carbon dioxide emission of the entity based on one or more policy considerations pertaining to the entity; a second module comprising instructions executing so as to configure the processor to apply the carbon dioxide emission estimate as a factor in a formula to compute a rating for the entity; a third module comprising instructions executing so as to configure the processor to output the rating from the machine; and a user interface and a data-fault module, wherein the data-fault module executes so as to configure the processor to provide the estimated carbon dioxide emission estimate to a user through the user interface upon a determination that the entity has incomplete carbon dioxide emission data.