LCIA Import from Ecoinvent

[ae_davila]

Hallo!

First of all I would like to thank you for this initiative! I am a student that have recently started using OpenLCA and initially was using the LCIA methodologies that were provided on the webpage. However, I have access to the Ecoinvent database at the moment and I was checking some of the characterization factors of the ReCiPe methodology and I noticed that there are some differences between those of the zip file and the ones of ecoinvent. Do you know what is the reason of this difference? You can see in the image some of the differences that I have encountered.

In the view of this, I decided to download the database from Ecoinvent and imported into OpenLCA. However, the methodology that I am using is divided into more than 15 datasets (the max. allowed of download per time in Ecoinvent) and thus I have to download the LCIA methodology into two .xml files. When I import this files into OpenLCA is seems like the software doesn't incorporate the information of the second file into the LCIA methodology. I have tried importing them at the same time, one after the other and it never incorporates the latest information (the last impact categories) into the already created LCIA methodology. I was wondering if you could help with this, I am importing the files wrong?

Thank you very much in advance.

Regards,
Andrea

[aciroth]

Dear Andrea,
Thanks a lot for this observation. The ReCiPe method has been updated since 2010 obviously, I have sent an email to ecoinvent about this and will let you know any news.
Best wishes,
Andreas

[ae_davila]

Dear Andreas,

Thank you for the fast response! I am looking forward for an update on that matter!

I have another question regarding the data import in OpenLCA. I am currently using the ecoinvent database, and for some LCIA methodologies it is necessary to download to 2 files with the impact categories. When I import these files into OpenLCA, it happens as if the second one is not incorporated. In other words, after the first file that contains part of the impact categories of a methodology is imported into OpenLCA, a methodology is created under the folder "LCIA method". When I try to incorporate the second file, the one that contains the remaining impact categories of the newly imported methodology, the software does not merge the new info into the methodology, nor does create a new method with the remaining information. I was wondering if you could tell me what is the best approach to import a methodology into OpenLCA that is divided into 2 files? Do I have to merge the information on one file prior importing?

Thank you in advance!

Regards,
Andrea

[aciroth]

Dear Andrea,
Also ecoinvent responded very fast to my email; we have now an updated impact-methods pack, and I put this on the website, here: http://www.openlca.org/uploads/media/impact-methods.zip. This is the same location as the old impact methods file, I just replaced the old package. This newer package contains an error correction for some ReCiPe categories.
However, there will be a next updated soon as ReCiPe also has been updated recently.
To your other question, I am not sure if I understand, why and when is it necessary to import two LCIA files? And why is it a problem if you import more than one?
Best,
Andreas

[ae_davila]

Dear Andreas,

Thank you again for the fast response and for the update of the methods!

Regarding my question, the issue is that some methodologies are composed of more than 15 datasets. The issue with this number is that the capacity of the download-basket in Ecoinvent is limited to an amount of 15 datasets. Thus, if I want to perform an assessment with all the categories or subcategories of a methodology, some are composed of more than 15 datasets (e.g. ReCiPe Midpoint, ReCiPe Endpoint, CML 2001, EDIP, IMPACT 2002+). For this reason it is necessary to download 2 or more files from Ecoinvent. When I import those files into OpenLCA, either one after the other or the 2 together (at least what I tried to do with ReCiPe Endpoint), the first file is imported and creates a new methodology in the folder "LCIA methods", in this case named "ReCiPe Endpoint (E,A)". This "ReCiPe Endpoint (E,A)" contains all the LCIA categories and factors that were in the first file imported. The remaining categories and factors (those that are in the second file imported) are not added to the "ReCiPe Endpoint (E,A)" methodology created, and it is almost like as if the file was not imported at all.

I hope that this time it is easier to understand what I have been trying to do. Could you please tell me if it is that I am doing something wrong? I don't know why I can't see the other categories that come from the second file that I am importing.

Thank you again!

Regards,
Andrea

[aciroth]

Hi Andrea, again,
I think I understand. Our usual approach is to put all method xml files into one zip archive and import this (just as you are doing with the impact-methods.zip from ecoinvent). We'll check if methods are not overwritten when they are re-imported. If you rename the files, you should get a new method though.
Best wishes,
Andreas

[ae_davila]

Hallo Andreas,

Thank you very much! I will try that.

Regards,
Andrea

[ae_davila]

Hi again Andreas,

Thank you for your time! I am sorry to say that I wasn't able to succeed with the files. The issue is that I have 2 .xml files and I believe that if I want to import them into OpenLCA as only one file I have to merge them and just zipping them is not enough. Currently this is not a problem because I am using the methodologies provided by you on the OpenLCA webpage and for which I am thankful. But I am still curious on how to do it. If I have an LCIA method divided into 2 .xml files, how do I import them into OpenLCA? At the moment, when I try to import them to OpenLCA the first file is successfully imported but as I try to import the second one (that corresponds to the same LCIA method, but has the remaining impact categories) the file is not added into OpenLCA, nor into the newly created method.

Thank you in advance!

Regards,
Andrea