PEF Database 3.1 in openLCA shows only elementary flows. How to access or replace intermediate inputs?

Question

Hello,
 

I downloaded the PEF database v3.1 via openLCA Nexus and imported it into openLCA. However, when I inspect the processes, I can only see elementary flows in the inputs and outputs. I do not see any intermediate (product) flows such as electricity, transport, or other background processes.

For my LCA modelling, I need to:

1. Identify the intermediate inputs embedded in these PEF processes, and

2. Replace some default background inputs (e.g. electricity mix, transport) with company-specific primary data, while keeping the rest of the dataset unchanged.

Without visible intermediate flows, it is unclear how to technically substitute parts of the process with primary data, as required by PEFCRs.
 

Could someone please clarify:

1. Whether the absence of intermediate flows in PEF 3.1 is by design, and if so, why?

2. What is the recommended workflow in openLCA for using primary data (e.g. electricity, transport) when working with aggregated PEF datasets?

Any guidance, documentation references, or practical examples would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The EF database from European Commission is only provided as aggregated data sets (system processes). The reason is due to licensing/confidentiality of data providers. You will not find a fully disaggregated  EF database anywhere. Some processes in the database are partly disaggregated so that you can change and adapt transport or energy inputs.

Also for PEF studies and using PEFCR, you should not change the background data. You can create your own foreground processes with primary data (e.g. how much electricity for your own processes and which electricity source) and link it to the background data sets. Which PEFCR you are referring to? Some PEFCRs might be old and based on EF 2.0 where more datasets where partly disaggregated so that more datasets could be adjusted with fixed parameters in the processes. As far as I know, most of these parameters are gone in EF 3.1.