Generic datasets

This page describes how to enter the generic datasets that are used by the Climate Action Decision Support Tool. It can be used to enter most data types to the model.

As a general rule, all data in the Tool are annual time series data that fall under some GPC activity sector. Each row contains one time series, and it may contain historical measurements or estimates, future projections, or both. In the example (Figure 11), years 2020-2022 are measurements and 2023-2026 are projections.

A dataset typically has these columns:

• Sector number and name describing the relevant GPC activity sector.

• Scope (is directly derived from the third value of the sector number): 1 = direct emission, 2 = grid-based emission, 3 = indirect emission.

• Quantity describes the type of phenomenon that is measured. Typically these are emissions, activities, or emission factors, but there is a limited set of other alternatives.

• Unit of the annual values on the row. All SI units are eligible, but also many other widely used units can be used (e.g. BTU or mi instead of kWh or km).

• Annual values with the year number as the title. Year columns can be added or deleted as much as there is data available.

• All other columns are considered dimensions. A dimension divides the values in a more specific categories than the sector and quantity combined do. For example, rows 2-3 describe the same node in the model, namely vehicle mileage in the case study city. Vehicle type tells that the mileage is specifically for passenger cars and road type separates the activity between roads and streets. This information is necessary, because the emission factors for street and road driving are slightly different as shown on rows 9-10. If a dimension is not relevant for a row, it is simply left empty.

Figure 11. A typical structure of a generic dataset. Colors depict different GPC sectors.

If a dataset is constructed carefully, a fully-blown greenhouse gas inventory or even an impact model can be semi-automatically built based on it. This requires that for each activity, there exists data for the respective emission factor.

Also the effects of simple actions can be described in a dataset. For more complex models, separate modules need to be added to the model to make it complete. For details, see section Actions and impacts.

In the next version of the Tool, datasets can be added and edited by the city admin user. Currently, the city users can collect the data in the way described above, and Kausal will upload the data and launch the Tool for the city.