Development, update and maintenance of ecoinvent background data by ESU-services
The ecoinvent database is the world leading life cycle inventory data source with several thousand users in more than dozens of 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.
The certification scheme for green electricity “naturemade star”, represented here by the biogas plant of Bio Energina AG in Silvaplana-Surlej, Switzerland, is partly based on ecoinvent data; Picture: Raetia Energie.
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.
In 2008, the management of the ecoinvent center changed. Since the beginning, the new conception and revision was accompanied by interest and criticism by the management of ESU-services. Version v3.0 of the ecoinvent database was published at the end of 2013. In parallel, updates to the ecoinvent data v2.2 have been commissioned by Swiss authorities and are available in separate databases.
From version 3.9 onwards, we have updated the data for oil and gas supply.
More information about ecoinvent
In addition, ESU-services offers its own version of the updated ecoinvent v2.2 database for SimaPro, in which all errors known to us have also been corrected and which contains additional standard data sets. 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.
We will be happy to advise you independently on the use of the various database versions and system models.
References of ESU-services
Global production of crude oil and natural gas and supply to different markets (2024)
Extensions, updates and integration of previously developed models for integration in ecoinvent data v3.11. The data are published by ecoinvent and are available with the ESU database. Life cycle inventory analysis reports available:
- Christoph Meili; Niels Jungbluth; Maresa Bussa (2024) Life cycle inventories of long-distance transport of crude oil. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
- Maresa Bussa; Niels Jungbluth; Christoph Meili (2024) Life cycle inventories for long-distance transport and distribution of natural gas. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Global production of crude oil and natural gas and supply to different markets (2023)
Extensions, updates and integration of previously developed models for integration in ecoinvent data v3.10. The data are published by ecoinvent and are available with the ESU database. Life cycle inventory analysis reports available:
- Christoph Meili; Niels Jungbluth; Maresa Bussa (2023) Life cycle inventories of crude oil and natural gas extraction. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent & Carbon Minds, Schaffhausen, Switzerland,
- Christoph Meili; Niels Jungbluth; Maresa Bussa (2023) Life cycle inventories of long-distance transport of crude oil. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent & Carbon Minds, Schaffhausen, Switzerland,
- Maresa Bussa; Niels Jungbluth; Christoph Meili (2023) Life cycle inventories for long-distance transport and distribution of natural gas. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Global production of crude oil and natural gas and supply to different markets (2022)
Extensions, updates and integration of previously developed models for integration in ecoinvent data v3.9 released on October 2022. The data are published by ecoinvent and are available with the ESU database. Life cycle inventory analysis reports available:
- Christoph Meili; Niels Jungbluth; Maresa Bussa (2022) Life cycle inventories of crude oil and natural gas extraction. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland,
- Christoph Meili; Niels Jungbluth; Maresa Bussa (2022) Life cycle inventories of long-distance transport of crude oil. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland,
- Maresa Bussa; Niels Jungbluth; Christoph Meili (2022) Life cycle inventories for long-distance transport and distribution of natural gas. ESU-services Ltd. commissioned by ecoinvent, Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Former publications
Frischknecht R., Jungbluth N., Althaus H.-J., Doka G., Hellweg S., Hischier R., Nemecek T., Rebitzer G. and Spielmann M., 2007. Overview and Methodology. ecoinvent report No. 1.
Frischknecht R., Jungbluth N., Althaus H.-J., Doka G., Dones R., Hellweg S., Hischier R., Nemecek T., Rebitzer G. and Spielmann M., 2007. Code of Practice. ecoinvent report No. 2.
Frischknecht R., Jungbluth N., Althaus H.-J., Doka G., Dones R., Hirschier R., Hellweg S., Humbert S., Margni M., Nemecek T. and Spielmann M., 2007. Implementation of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods. ecoinvent report No. 3.
Jungbluth N., Chudacoff M., Dauriat A., Dinkel F., Doka G., Faist Emmenegger M., Gnansounou E., Kljun N., Schleiss K., Spielmann M., Stettler C. and Sutter J. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Bioenergy. ecoinvent report No. 17, v2.0. ESU-services, Uster, CH
Errata crude oil and natural gas (2010)
Download the corrected ecoinvent LCI of crude oil and natural gas exploration and refinery*:
- Jungbluth N., 2010, Documentation of changes implemented in ecoinvent data v2.2+. ESU-services, Uster, CH.
- XML package of crude oil and natural gas: includes xml files (the multi-output dataset of the refinery cannot be imported directly into SimaPro)
ecoinvent Version 1 until 2.2 with contributions of ESU-services
Althaus, H.-J., et al. (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals. Dübendorf, CH, EMPA Dübendorf, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Classen, M., et al. (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Metals. Dübendorf, CH, EMPA Dübendorf, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Dones, R., et al. (2004). Life Cycle Inventories of Energy Systems: Results for Current Systems in Switzerland and other UCTE Countries. Dübendorf, CH, Paul Scherrer Institut Villigen, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Dones, R., et al. (2005). “Life Cycle Inventories for the Nuclear and Natural Gas Energy Systems, and Examples of Uncertainty Analysis.” Int J Life Cycle Assess 10(1): 10-23.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2008). Documentation of changes to be implemented in ecoinvent Data v2.1. ecoinvent report No. 16. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories. Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2006). “Selected modelling principles applied in the ecoinvent database.” Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Japan 1(2): 112-122.
Frischknecht, R. and N. Jungbluth (2003). Life cycle inventory modeling in the Swiss national LCI database ecoinvent 2000. Life-Cycle Assessment of Metals – Issues and Research Directions. A. Dubreuil. Montreal.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2007). Implementation of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods. Dübendorf, CH, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2004). “The ecoinvent Database: Overview and Methodological Framework.” Int J Life Cycle Assess 10(1): 3-9.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2007). Overview and Methodology. Dübendorf, CH, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2004). Code of Practice. Dübendorf, CH, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Frischknecht, R., et al. (2007). Code of Practice. Dübendorf, CH, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Frischknecht, R. and N. Jungbluth. (2002). Land occupation and land transformation in life cycle inventories. 12th SETAC-Europe Annual Meeting, Vienna, SETAC.
Jungbluth, N. (2005). “Life Cycle Assessment for Crystalline Photovoltaics in the Swiss ecoinvent Database.” Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 2005(13): 429-446.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2004). “Life Cycle Assessment for Emerging Technologies: Case Studies for Photovoltaic and Wind Power.” Int J Life Cycle Assess 10(1): 24-34.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Bioenergy. Uster, CH, ESU-services.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2007). Life cycle assessment of photovoltaics – Update of the ecoinvent database. Proceedings of the Materials Research Society Fall 2007 Meeting, Boston, USA.
Jungbluth, N. and R. Frischknecht (2007). Life cycle assessment of photovoltaics in ecoinvent data v2.0. SETAC Case Studies, Gothenburg.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2002). Life cycle inventory modeling in the Swiss national LCI database ecoinvent 2000. International Workshop on Life Cycle Assessment and Metals, Montreal.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2008). Life cycle assessment of photovoltaics in the ecoinvent data v2.01. 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, 1-5 September 2008, Valencia.
Jungbluth, N., et al. (2008). Life cycle assessment of photovoltaics: update of ecoinvent data v2.0. Uster, ESU-services Ltd.
Kellenberger, D., et al. (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Building Products. Dübendorf, CH, EMPA Dübendorf, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
Werner, F., et al. (2007). Life Cycle Inventories of Wood as Fuel and Construction Material. Dübendorf, CH, EMPA Dübendorf, Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories.
The LCI reports that are prepared by ESU-services and implemented in the ecoinvent data v2.2 (2010) and subsequent versions can be downloaded on the site for public inventories.
