Insights

LCA-DATABASE

July 15, 2026

122 Universities Are Using China’s Native LCA Database — Is Yours on the List?

As of July this year, faculty, graduate students and research teams across 122 universities rely on this China-native LCA dataset library. It is widely adopted across materials, chemical engineering, energy, mechanical engineering, steel, non-ferrous metals and nearly all disciplines focused on carbon footprint accounting, eco-design and low-carbon sustainability research. Scroll down to check the full list of participating institutions and find peers working in your research field.

LCA-DATABASE
Insight

July 3, 2026

Why are More People Choosing to Pair an Agent with ecoinvent Data?

More and more teams are moving beyond simply "purchasing a database" and starting to ask: How can we actually make this database work for our projects? This isn't really an ecoinvent-specific issue—it's a challenge that virtually all traditional databases face.

LCA-DATABASE
Industry Database

May 18, 2026

Beyond ecoinvent: What LCA Databases Are Available on HiQLCD?

In recent years, HiQLCD has integrated mainstream domestic and international databases and standardized interoperability at the technical level. To date, the platform covers three categories: general-purpose databases, China industry-specific databases, and global sectoral databases, with a total of over 200,000 LCA datasets.

LCA Data IOP
LCA-DATABASE
Industry Database

April 27, 2026

Why are International LCA Experts Starting to Actively Use China Data?

One year ago, they asked, “Who are you?” One year later, they ask, “How can we use it in projects?” The international LCA community’s attitude toward China databases has shifted in substance from “being reviewed” to “being relied on.” This Europe visit revealed earlier than expected a signal that otherwise might have taken much longer to emerge.

LCA-DATABASE

January 13, 2026

HiQLCD supported a Nature subjournal publication: LCA clarifies “greener” in catalysis innovation

Recently, a joint research team from Xiamen University (Prof. Wang Ye and Prof. Cheng Kang), Tsinghua University (Assoc. Prof. Wang Xiaonan), and the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Senior Engineer Sun Fanfei) published a paper in *Nature Communications* titled “Atomically dispersed Pd-Mn dual-metal doped CeO₂ nanorods for efficient methane oxychlorination.” Zhao Kai, a 2022 PhD student at Tsinghua University and former HiQLCD intern, is co-first author.

LCA DB Methodology

September 24, 2025

What Kind of Data Qualifies as Compliant with the ILCD System?

Recently, we have frequently received questions such as: "What exactly is ILCD? Is it simply a different file format? Why do databases constantly emphasise the need to be 'ILCD-compliant'?"

Insight

April 29, 2025

Why Higher Inventory Coverage and Comprehensive Result Information Matter in LCA

In life cycle assessment (LCA), the completeness of inventory coverage and the richness of result information are critical factors that directly influence the accuracy and reliability of evaluation outcomes. This is particularly true for industries with long, complex supply chains — such as the steel sector.

Insight

April 25, 2025

Why temporal and geographic representation are important in LCA data

📌 This is Part 2 of Our Series on Why Choosing a Professional LCA Database Matters. In this post, we’re looking at temporal and geographic representativeness—two often-overlooked dimensions that can make or break the accuracy of your LCA results.

Insight

April 23, 2025

Why Choosing a High-quality LCA Database Matters

Welcome to the First Post in Our Series on the Importance of Choosing the Right LCA Database.In this series, we’ll dive into why selecting a professional LCA database is crucial for obtaining reliable and actionable insights. Over the next few posts, we will explore three key aspects: methodology, representativeness, and result accuracy—helping you make informed decisions for your sustainability initiatives.

Insight

February 17, 2025

🎥 Carbon Focus | 2-Minute Expert Insights

In the latest episode of Carbon Focus 🌍, a Sustainability Expert from the Green Product Evaluation Center of the China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association discusses the progress and challenges of China’s low-carbon transition in the aluminum industry. She highlights that while green processes and the use of green power ⚡ are on the rise, existing databases still lack the precision to reflect local processes, energy structures, and regional differences. Accurate data will enhance carbon footp

Insight

February 17, 2025

🎥 Carbon Focus | 2-Minute Expert Insights

Welcome to Carbon Focus, where we bring in industry experts to share their unique insights and practical experiences! In today’s video, our expert discusses why a localized LCA database is so important for China’s steel industry .

Insight

February 17, 2025

One chart to understand steel industry data

As a global leader in steel production and consumption, China’s steel manufacturing processes are influenced by significant regional and technological differences. 🌍⚙️ As shown in the chart below, factors such as different raw material selections and compositions (e.g., ore grade or scrap steel ratio) and energy mix (e.g., coal, natural gas, electricity) vary across regions, directly impacting carbon emissions levels. 📊🔋

Insight

February 17, 2025

📹Carbon Focus | 2-Minute Expert Insights

In this episode, we explore the urgent data needs within the non-ferrous metals industries. What are the key missing data points crucial for accurate carbon footprint calculations? We uncover how addressing these gaps can empower industries to make better sustainability decisions. 🌱

Insight

February 17, 2025

📹Carbon Focus | 2-Minute Expert Insights

In this episode, we explore the steel industry’s unique production processes and the critical data gaps that are preventing accurate carbon footprint calculations. From iron ore mining to coke usage, these upstream processes are key drivers of emissions. Establishing basic energy and raw material databases is crucial for more accurate carbon accounting. 🌱

Insight

February 17, 2025

One chart to understand photovoltaic industry data

Did you know that the carbon footprint of 1 kWh of solar electricity isn’t actually zero? That’s because we must consider the emissions from photovoltaic (PV) production.