The LCA Method Tool is a tool for applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which is a technique for assessing the energy and environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life cycle from cradle to grave. LCA Method Tool can be used to create life cycle energy and environmental balances of SHC systems, to carry out simplified LCAs, and to compare the SHC systems with conventional ones.

Data on specific energy and environmental impacts of different components of SHC and conventional systems are provided with the tool. LCA Method Tool can easily be expanded with the life cycle data of new components or updated with new life cycle data for the existing components.

The visualization approach of the tool enables users to build the SHC system model by using a clear and transparent structure. Input data, specific impacts, total impacts are reported in separate worksheets; therefore, each worksheet can be easily consulted or compiled. The LCA results are displayed both in tables and in figures and are referred both to specific life cycle steps (manufacturing, operation and end-of-life steps) and to the total life cycle.

The tool is developed in xls format and contains the following worksheets:

• Index;
• SHC system;
• Conventional system;
• Specific impacts SHC system;
• Specific impacts conventional system;
• Calculation (hidden sheet used to make calculations);
• Total impacts SHC system;
• Total impacts conventional system;
• Impacts comparison;
• Payback indices.

The tool can be used only for academic and research activities.

The LCA method tool can be downloaded here.

4 examples can be found here.

The PISTACHE software is a tool to pre-size and evaluate the performances of solar installation for cooling, heating and domestic hot water preparation, with or without energy back-up system.

The tool aims to realize easy and quick calculation of solar installation for cooling, heating and DHW production. It helps the user to pre-size the installation and provides energy balance and annual performance indicators.
 
The tool is composed of a user interface to upload an input file, to fill the parameter and to choose the main component characteristics. The tool also includes the calculation tables, the material databases and a step by step help file.

To use PISTACHE, you need to get annual hourly data with meteorological data of the concerned site, cooling and heating loads and the net domestic hot water demand. The data must be provided in a text file with a specific format; the format is given in the step by step help of the software.

PISTACHE distribution is free of charge. It has been developped by TECSOL and the CEA at INES in the MeGaPICS project, partly financed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) in the framework of the HABISOL program.
To get more information, go directly to the following link: http://e-learning.ines-solaire.org/course/view.php?id=327&lang=en

This Excel tool is permitting to go for an appropriate evaluation procedure for the technical and economic performance assessment of large systems is set up and tested with real cases.

It delivers the basis for a comparable assessment of the installed plants independently of installation site and the specific boundary conditions. Beside, a reflection will be carried out on minimum economical ratios to estimate the competitiveness of solar cooling against concurrent technologies.

The tool can be found here and a short description on its content is available here.

In addition of using this tool and for further information on the methodology, it is advised to read the Task 48 B7 final report on Collection of criteria to quantify the quality and cost competitiveness for solar cooling systems