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I have a ton of LCI data sheets from a single process, and each sheet only has small changes in the flow values (this data is produced by conducting a sensitivity analysis outside of openLCA). I have defined the process in openLCA and mapped all the inputs/outputs to suitable Ecoinvent flows and selected providers.

However, I would like to calculate the results for all the data sheets I have, not just with the one set of input/output flow data. This means that I would copy the input/output data from each of the data sheets I have, one by one, into openLCA, create a new product system, calculate the results, and export the file.

I tried to export the process as an excel file (General information -> Export to Excel), and the produced file lists all the inputs and outputs and even preserves the providers in the file, just as I would want. I can do some excel scripting etc. to automatically update the flow values in the excel file, but I can't seem to import it back to openLCA again. Is there a way to do this somehow?

I'm using openLCA 2.1.0.
in openLCA by (140 points)

1 Answer

+1 vote
by (160 points)
Hello there,

so just to double check if I understood correctly:

- You have several excel files of input and outputs.

- All of these contain different values but are for the same process.

- You now want to run impact calculations for the product system derived from that process for each set of values (i.e. each data sheet).

- You would like to automate this as it is a lot of work.

- You want to export the results as an Excel file.

If I understood correctly, I would say that you are dealing with a situation where the use of parameters would be ideal. If only the amounts in the exchanges differ from data sheet to data sheet but the process stays the same, you would be best off using parameters in the amount and then run impact calculation by setting up different parameter sets (one for each data sheet). This can be done in openLCA manually or you can automate this procedure.

To do this manually:

- Go to openLCA

- Open the product system

- Go to the 'Parameters' tab

- Click on 'Add parameter set'

- Fill in each parameter for each parameter set (i.e. each data sheet)

These results you could then export as an Excel file just like you are used to. However, this is a lot of work so if you are familiar with a programming language like Python for example, I recommend you let a script read out your data sets (e.g. with Pandas or openpyxl) and then use the olca-ipc module to run the calculations with the different parameter sets. An example of how to do this you find here:

https://greendelta.github.io/openLCA-ApiDoc/ipc/examples/parameters.html

The results will be returned as a json-object. If you want these to be returned as an Excel file you will need to again use a custom script to bring the data in the desired format.

I hope this answers your question.

Best wishes,

Raphael
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