Cannot see characterization factors for ecoinvent 3.8

Question

I am new to OpenLCA. I am using openLCA 2.1.1 and ecoinvent 3.8 database (cutoff_3011_with_methods). As the database comes with methods already, I don't need to add impact assessment methods separately. However, when I open a method, I don't see any characterization factors there. Nor do I see any normalization or weighting factors.

My friends told me in previous version of database and openLCA, there were more tabs within an impact assessment method, however, I only see 'General information' and 'Normalization and weighting'.

I even tried downloading the latest impact assessment methods from the Nexus website for the database and it shows the same thing, i.e., no characterization factors as well as normalization or weighting factors.

Can you help me with this? Where can I see these factors?

Answer 1

Hi and welcome, the factors are at the impact categories, in the sheet characterisation factors, the methods are "merely" a collection of impact categories.

Normalisation and weighting is available for the methods (if the method foresees normalisation and weighting, otherwise this sheet is blank).

Hope this helps, Andreas