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ELCD 3.2 Hard coal and natural gas consumption saves land

Posted: 12 Aug 2016 15:20
by Mara
Hello everybody,
I just wanted to inform you about a bug I found:
I am using the latest openLCA version with the elcd 3.2. databank and impact assessment methods.
For some reason, when using ReCiPe (H) the flow "transformation, to unknown" contained in the inventory of "Natural Gas Mix, consumption mix, at consumer, technology mix, onshore and offshore production incl. pipeline and LNG transprt" and "Hard coal mix, consumption mix, at consumer, technology mix" is counted as negative, i.e. the consumption of natural gas and hard coal saves land transformation..
This is weird - it makes no sense and gives wrong results in the Natural land transformation impact category :-(
Best,
Mara

Re: ELCD 3.2: Hard coal and natural gas consumption saves la

Posted: 12 Aug 2016 18:15
by aciroth
Hi Mara: this is not a bug but a property of the database (probably due to system expansion). See also a recent very related post that ELCD 3.2 products can save / produce water.
Hth,
Andreas

Re: ELCD 3.2 Hard coal and natural gas consumption saves lan

Posted: 15 Aug 2016 13:52
by Mara
Hi Andreas,
Thanks!
I looked again in the ReCiPe characterisation factors and the flow "transformation, to unknown" has a negative CF of -0.4. It is described here: http://www.lcia-recipe.net/file-cabinet in the main report from 2013.
The reason stated is that 61% of all land is non-natural and 39% is natural. I guess that mean that used land can also be transformed back to its natural state and that is why I get a negative impact.
Mara

Re: ELCD 3.2 Hard coal and natural gas consumption saves lan

Posted: 15 Aug 2016 18:29
by aciroth
Ah thank you - I did not look that far; a negative characterisation factor is of course another explanation. Good that it is solved now.
Best wishes,
Andreas