EF database regionalized flows: able to specify location?

Question

Hi all,

I am a new OpenLCA user, so please excuse me if I don't have a solid understanding just yet.

I am using the EF database to build a new product system, and I would like to compare that product system to a system process that already exists in the database through running a project report.

My confusion, however, comes from the regionalized flows in the existing system process. For example, the inputs to this process will include water use from several different sources, and repeated for each region in the database. I was thinking about removing each flow that is specific to regions that I do not wish to model, but since they all have unique values, I am afraid doing so will drastically alter results in a way that may not be accurate. I am hesitant to make changes to this existing system process before I understand the impact of those changes on the integrity of the model.

Greatly appreciate anyone who takes the time to help! Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi and welcome, the different regions for the water flows in a process occur since the processes with these flows are aggregated over the life cycle of the product (of the respective process), so it is correct that the flows represent different locations / regions. I am not sure why you want to remove these? Since you want to express that for your process, the life cycle is different? If yes, you should not remove but replace with the (for your system) correct water flow, i.e. for the correct region.

All the best,

Andreas