The main differences between version ecoinvent 3.6 and 3.9.1
Where applicable, cycles now differentiate between biogenic and land-use carbon sources (the ReCiPe and EF methods have been adjusted accordingly to include these exchanges).
The cycle descriptions have more sections and are more extensive. The most notable improvement is the inclusion of product information to complement the process description and details. Each cycle has now a hyperlink to the original ecionvent ecoQuery entry.
All market datasets were reviewed, existing meta information complemented, corrected or completed.
Ecoinvent data updates:
New and updated data on mineral fertilizer production. Markets and market mixes for the fertilizer sector restructured and updated, separating provision of organic and mineral fertilizers for nutrient supply. New products such as peas and lentils, peanuts. Many new and updated cycles from Brazil and Canada.
Most datasets related to forestry activity and wood processing are updated, with new wood-based products added.
New cycles related to bamboo forestry.
New types of Li-Ion batteries and their production as well as lead-acid batteries. Individual battery components are split and each is represented in an individual dataset cathode, anode, etc.).
New data on Lithium, Iron, and Phosphate battery technology.
New data for cement and concrete using recycled and waste mixed aggregates, plus new nomenclature rules introduced to allow for consistency across all geographies.
Updated version of glass wool mat datasets.
New data on intermediate bamboo construction materials.
Updated to include 36 chemical products developed for the EF initiative (which developed the EF method).
Introductions to main production technology for hydrogen.
Data updates for styrene production and polyurethane production.
Electronics:
New datasets on consumer electronic devices (smartphone, tablet, printed wiring board, liquid crystal display), laptop updated.
Components in the supply chain are adjusted.
Updates to electricity market mixes to 2019 (US, Canada and SWI plus a few others got updated to 2020).
Updates to electricity transmission networks (introducing separate data for aerial, underground, and subsea cables).
Introducing residual mixes.
Updates to air freight transport (consumption of kerosene was too low).
Updated data on cartonboard, kraft paper and paper sacks.
Expanded the geographical coverage of the sector and new and updated products that produce packaging materials and paper.
New and updated datasets, from EMPA. In particular, new and updated data on copper, niquel, iron and steel, scarce metals (such as cobalt, rare earths, tungsten and beryllium).
Disaggregated wastewater treatment chains.
New data regional data (Europe and Switzerland) on recycling activities of packaging materials, such as beverage cans and paperboard.
New data on biogas production and supply chains from Switzerland.
Massive update on the natural gas and crude petroleum oil supply chains, with Coverage of 80% and 90% of the world, respectively.