gemis

gemis, officially GEMIS (Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems), is a life-cycle assessment (LCA) database and modeling framework designed to estimate environmental emissions and energy flows associated with energy systems, materials, and industrial processes across their life cycles. The database provides technology-specific and region-specific data, enabling users to calculate emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants alongside energy inputs for various stages of the supply chain and product life cycle.

GEMIS aims to support transparent and comparable environmental assessments, policy analysis, and research. It covers a wide range of technologies, fuels, and processes, and supports scenario analysis through customizable regional parameters and technology mixes. Outputs typically include emission factors, energy balances, and life-cycle inventories that can be used in LCA software and decision-support tools.

Development and usage of GEMIS originated in European research initiatives in the late 20th century and has been maintained and updated through collaborations among governments, research organizations, and industry partners. It is used by academics, consultants, and public authorities to compare environmental performance of energy systems, evaluate decarbonization options, and support environmental reporting.

Data sources and transparency: GEMIS data are compiled from official statistics, peer-reviewed literature, and industry sources, with documentation of methods and regionalization rules. Availability of datasets and licensing varies by edition; some parts are publicly accessible while others require licenses or institutional access. The project emphasizes traceability of data and regular updates.

Limitations: As with any LCA database, GEMIS carries uncertainties related to data quality, regional coverage gaps, and methodological choices. Users should review assumptions and adapt parameters to local conditions.