ecoinvent database – Swiss LCA data since 30 years

The ecoinvent database is the world leading life cycle inventory data source with several thousand users in more than 40 countries. The ecoinvent data are used in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), Carbon footprint (CF), Integrated Product Policy (IPP), Life Cycle Management (LCM), Design for Environment (DfE), ecolabelling, ecodesign and many other applications.

How to use the ecoinvent database?

The best option for working with ecoinvent data is to use them in the specialized LCA software SimaPro. This allows for using all features of the data format and documentation, like the unique possibility to find the cradle of each emission.

Which data can be found in the ecoinvent database?

The ecoinvent data contain life cycle inventory data of energy (electricity, oil, coal, natural gas, biomass, biofuels, bioenergy, hydropower, nuclear power, photovoltaics, wind power, biogas), materials (chemicals, metals, minerals, plastics, paper, biomass, biomaterials), waste management (incineration, landfill, waste water treatment), transports (road, rail, air, ship), agricultural products and processes, electronics, metals processing, and building ventilation. The data are available in several formats as XML or Excel.

Who developed the ecoinvent data?

The team of ESU-services has managed and led the conception and creation of the database system from 1998 until March 2008. This includes the first development and the introduction of Version 1.0, followed by the expansion and update work, culminating in the release of version 2.2. ESU-services elaborated about 900 out of 4'000 life cycle inventory datasets of ecoinvent data v2.2. With this contribution ESU-services is the largest privately owned partner of the ecoinvent Centre.

Calculation of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions

ESU-services Ltd. offers a SimaPro library with ecoinvent v3.x data that allows the calculation of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions: For customers of SimaPro who possess a valid Ecoinvent license and wish to conduct calculations in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, we provide a detailed breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions from Ecoinvent electricity datasets and an extended impact assessment method. This breakdown is categorized into different scopes as defined by the GHG Protocol, specifically Scope 2, Scope 3 excluding Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses, and Scope 3 T&D losses. These emissions data are formatted for use within SimaPro, facilitating a comprehensive accounting of greenhouse gas emissions. Contact us directly to receive a specific offer.

Listen to a half hour interview (in German) on the ecoinvent database broadcasted on April 9, 2008. Download the MP3 file here.