lcia.rst

Step 5: Generating LCIA samples

Introduction

This optional step converts the stored LCI arrays into method-specific arrays of LCIA scores.

LCIA arrays can be distinguished by:

• number of columns:

  • one column: a deterministic results (result_type=deterministic)
  • n columns: one column per MonteCarlo iteration (use function result_type=probabilistic)

• number of rows:

  • one row: representing the sum of characterized elementary flows (return_total=True)
  • m rows: m characterized elementary flows (return_per_exchange=True).

While functions such as calculate_lcia_array_from_activity_code can calculate LCIA arrays for specific activities, use save_all_lcia_score_arrays to generate and save LCIA arrays for all activities.

The resulting LCIA arrays are stored in a method-specific subdirectory of the result_dir directory <file_structure>. The name of the subdirectory is a string abbreviation of the method name (see here for more detail on method abbreviations). Totals and per reference flow are further separated in subdirectories, and finally each samples_batch has its own subdirectory.

Note

It is absolutely necessary to have access to the biosphere dictionary of the LCA object that was used to generate the samples, the ref_bio_dict. It is stored in the common_files <file_structure> directory.

Technical reference

Top level functions

save_all_lcia_score_arrays

bw2preagg.lcia.save_all_lcia_score_arrays

calculate_lcia_array_from_activity_code

bw2preagg.lcia.calculate_lcia_array_from_activity_code

Helper functions

get_cf_with_indices

bw2preagg.lcia.get_cf_with_indices

calculate_lcia_array_from_arrays

bw2preagg.lcia.calculate_lcia_array_from_arrays