Life Cycle Assessment of Smart Grid Tec...

The project deals with the analysis of software tools for implementing life cycle assessments (LCA) with an underlying case study that compares approaches for “mobile charging of mobile devices in terms of their ecological and economic compatibility. The results of the LCA are examined with suitable key figures. Two open-source software tools openLCA and Activity Browser will be compared with each other. The aim is to find out whether using a solar charger compared to a conventional power bank is worthwhile from an economic and ecological point of view. The central part of the work consists of carrying out an LCA of mobile charging methods for smartphones. The functions of the programs to be analyzed are presented and explained. The aim is to compare the functionality of two software tools in carrying out LCA through a case study. Furthermore, possible extensions will be outlined. The data for the LCA is obtained from databases, literature, an online survey, and our own measurements. For the production, transport, and disposal of the required materials, assumptions must be made obtained from the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory Database. The focus lies on measuring performance data, conducting a survey on the actual use of the devices, and taking values from existing literature.