The first version of ecoinvent 2 was released in 2007. Already at that time, the ecoinvent database had become one of the most recognized LCI databases worldwide.
Sept 30th, 2007
Relevant Documentation and Files
Overview and Methodology
The Overview & Methodology report for ecoinvent version 2 describes the general structure of the ecoinvent database version 2.
See ecoinvent Version 2 Code of Practice
This document provides an overview of the database contents. It recommends which data to use for different purposes and how to work with ecoinvent version 2.
sector-specific changes.
LCIA Methods in ecoinvent Version 2
Methodological questions concerning the linking of Life Cycle Impact Assessment methods with elementary flows in ecoinvent version 2 are addressed in this report.
Change Report ecoinvent v2.2
Document listing all changes made in data and impact assessment methods between ecoinvent version 2.1 (2009) and version 2.2 (2010).
Reports on ecoinvent Version 2
ecoinvent version 2 reports available in report section of the database
All further reports are only accessible for free to guests and users of ecoinvent version 2 under “Reports”, accessible via the login.
Reports in German
Hedemann J. and König U. (2007) Technical Documentation of the ecoinvent Database. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 4. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Dones R., Bauer C., Bolliger R., Burger B., Faist Emmenegger M., Frischknecht R., Heck T., Jungbluth N. and Röder A. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Energy Systems: Results for Current Systems in Switzerland and other UCTE Countries. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 5. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Dones R., Bauer C., Bolliger R., Burger B., Faist Emmenegger M., Frischknecht R., Heck T., Jungbluth N. and Röder A. (2007b) Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 6. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Bauer C. (2007) Holzenergie. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Bolliger R. and Bauer C. (2007) Wasserkraft. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Burger B. and Bauer C. (2007) Windkraft. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Dones R., Bauer C. and Doka G. (2009) Kernkraft. Data v2.1 In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Faist Emmenegger M., Heck T. and Jungbluth N. (2007) Erdgas. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Frischknecht R., Tuchschmid M., Faist Emmenegger M., Bauer C. and Dones R. (2007) Strommix. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Heck T. (2007) Wärme-Kraft-Kopplung. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Heck T. (2007) Wärmepumpe. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Jungbluth N. (2007) Erdöl. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Jungbluth N., Stucki M. and Frischknecht R. (2009) Photovoltaics. Data v2.1 In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Jungbluth N. (2007) Sonnenkollektor-Anlagen. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Röder A., Bauer C. and Dones R. (2007) Kohle. In: Sachbilanzen von Energiesystemen: Grundlagen für den ökologischen Vergleich von Energiesystemen und den Einbezug von Energiesystemen in Ökobilanzen für die Schweiz (ed. Dones R.). Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Reports in English
Kellenberger D., Althaus H.-J., Jungbluth N. and Künniger T. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Building Products. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 7. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Althaus H.-J., Chudacoff M., Hischier R., Jungbluth N., Osses M. and Primas A. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Chemicals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 8. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Werner F., Althaus H.-J., Künniger T., Richter K. and Jungbluth N. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Wood as Fuel and Construction Material. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 9. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Classen M., Althaus H.-J., Blaser S., Doka G., Jungbluth N. and Tuchschmid M. (2009) Life Cycle Inventories of Metals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.1 No.10. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Hischier R. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Packaging and Graphical Paper. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 11. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Zah R. and Hischier R. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Detergents. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 12. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Doka G. (2009) Life Cycle Inventories of Waste Treatment Services. Final report ecoinvent v2.1 No. 13. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Spielmann M., Dones R. and Bauer C. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Transport Services. Final report ecoinvent v2.0 No. 14. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Nemecek T., Kägi T. and Blaser S. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Agricultural Production Systems. Final report ecoinvent v2.0 No.15. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Hischier R., Althaus H.-J., Bauer C., Doka G., Frischknecht R., Jungbluth N., Nemecek T., Simons A., Stucki M., Sutter J. and Tuchschmid M. (2010) Documentation of changes implemented in ecoinvent Data v2.1 and v2.2. Final report ecoinvent data v2.2 No. 16. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Sutter J. (2010) Life Cycle Inventories of Pesticides. Final report ecoinvent v2.2. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, St. Gallen, CH.
Jungbluth N., Chudacoff M., Dauriat A., Dinkel F., Doka G., Faist Emmenegger M., Gnansounou E., Kljun N., Spielmann M., Stettler C. and Sutter J. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Bioenergy. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 17. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Hischier R., Classen M., Lehmann M. and Scharnhorst W. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Electric and Electronic Equipment: Production, Use and Disposal. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0 No. 18. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Sutter J. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Highly Pure Chemicals. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 19. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Primas A. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of new CHP systems. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 20. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Althaus H.-J., Dinkel F., Stettler C. and Werner F. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Renewable Materials. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 21. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Sutter J. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Petrochemical Solvents. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 22. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Steiner R. and Frischknecht R. (2007) Life Cycle Inventories of Metal Processing and Compressed Air Supply. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 23. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
Hässig W. and Primas A. (2007) Ökologische Aspekte der Komfortlüftungen im Wohnbereich. Final report ecoinvent data v2.0, No. 25. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dübendorf, CH.
How to use ecoinvent Version 2 Online
The primary way to access the ecoinvent database is via this website. At the top of every page you will find the link lLogin to the dDatabases. There you can log in with your licence details – should you not have a licence to the ecoinvent database, you can still register as a guest. As a guest user you have limited access to the data but can acquire an overview of the ecoinvent database and its contents.
Password Restricted Area
The ecoinvent website consists of two distinguished areas – the free area and the access-restricted area with the actual database content. In the free area you can find general information on ecoinvent, can get in touch the ecoinvent team, read the help file and register as user. From the free area you can enter the access-restricted area using the Login area in the right upper corner.
Guest Access vs End User Access
To try out the ecoinvent database you can first register as a guest. Guests may view information on the datasets contained in the databases, but are not allowed to view inventory data or download any datasets.
Additionally, all registered users have unlimited access to all datasets of the various databases of ecoinvent. They can view the datasets online and select them for download.
Database Search
Each database of ecoinvent contains several thousand datasets. To easily and quickly find the datasets you are looking for there are different.
Search Results
The results of a database search are displayed on the “Search Results” page. Instructions on how to use this page are included.
Process Details of a Dataset
Details of a dataset can be viewed for processes, elementary flows and impact assessment method. More about the process details.
Use of Datasets
You have different possibilities to use the ecoinvent version 2 datasets: online, in excel or in an LCA software.
Downloading Data
After searching the database for one or more datasets these can be selected for download. They will be added to the download basket.