olcaBASIC

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A simplified language to control openLCA, borrowing heavily from the BASIC programming language (1964)

olcaBASIC lets LCA practitioners build models, run calculations, and analyse results without writing Python. It connects to openLCA via the IPC server and translates simple, readable commands into the full power of the openLCA calculation engine.

Quick start

pip install olcabasic

Start the IPC server in openLCA (Tools > Developer Tools > IPC Server), then:

python -m olcabasic

olcaBASIC v0.1.5
Connected to openLCA on port 8080
Ready.

> PRINT DATABASE
  Processes:       2608
  Flows:           177294
  Impact methods:  8
  Family:          flcac

> FIND PROCESS "cement"
  Portland cement; at plant    31-33: Manufacturing/3273: Cement and Co

> CALCULATE "Ready-mix concrete" USING "IPCC"
  AR6-100    1.769261 kg CO2 eq

Write programs

Save as mymodel.baslca and run with python -m olcabasic run mymodel.baslca:

REM Concrete block model

LET cement_mass = 300
LET sand_mass = 800

SET PROCESS FOLDER "00: My Project"
SET FLOW FOLDER "00: My Project/Flows"

PROCESS "Concrete block; at plant"
  OUTPUT NEW "Concrete block", 1, m3, PRODUCT
  INPUT "Portland cement; at plant", cement_mass, kg
  INPUT "Construction sand and gravel; at mine", sand_mass, kg
END PROCESS

SYSTEM "Concrete block; at plant"
CALCULATE "Concrete block; at plant" USING "IPCC"
PRINT RESULTS
SAVE RESULTS "concrete_results.csv"

SCENARIO "Baseline"
END SCENARIO

SCENARIO "Low cement"
  LET cement_mass = 240
END SCENARIO

RUN SCENARIOS ON "Concrete block; at plant" USING "IPCC"

How INPUT and OUTPUT work

By default, INPUT finds existing flows and processes in the database and wires them up as providers automatically. This is what connects your foreground model to the background supply chain.

OUTPUT NEW creates a new foreground product flow. INPUT NEW creates a fresh flow without linking to a provider.

OUTPUT NEW "My product", 1, kg, PRODUCT    ' creates your product
INPUT "Portland cement; at plant", 300, kg  ' finds and links to database
INPUT NEW "Custom blend", 50, kg            ' creates a new flow

Navigation

olcaBASIC includes folder navigation inspired by the Acorn Electron:

CAT                         List current folder contents
CAT *concrete*              Filter by wildcard
DIR "31-33: Manufacturing"  Navigate to folder
UP                          Go up one level
BACK                        Toggle to previous folder
CDIR "My Model"             Create and enter a folder
PWD                         Show current folders

LS works as an alias for CAT. CD works as an alias for DIR.

Parameters

Variables defined with LET become openLCA parameters. Use them in exchange amounts and they flow through to scenarios and sensitivity analysis:

LET cement_mass = 300
LET water_ratio = 0.45
LET water_mass = cement_mass * water_ratio

PROCESS "Mixing"
  INPUT "Portland cement; at plant", cement_mass, kg
  INPUT "Water", water_mass, kg
  OUTPUT NEW "Concrete", 1, m3, PRODUCT
END PROCESS

Scenarios

SCENARIO "Baseline"
END SCENARIO

SCENARIO "Low cement"
  LET cement_mass = 240
END SCENARIO

SCENARIO "High cement"
  LET cement_mass = 380
END SCENARIO

RUN SCENARIOS ON "My System" USING "IPCC"

Sensitivity

SENSITIVITY ON "My System" USING "IPCC" BY 20%
  VARY cement_mass
  VARY sand_mass
END SENSITIVITY

Full command reference

Type HELP in the REPL for the command list, or HELP PROCESS, HELP FOLDER, HELP NEW, HELP SCENARIO, HELP SENSITIVITY for detailed guidance on each topic.

Why?

Brightway is powerful but requires Python fluency. SimaPro is point-and-click but not scriptable. olcaBASIC sits in between: programmatic, reproducible LCA work that any environmental scientist can read and write on day one.

Requirements

• openLCA 2.x with IPC server running (port 8080)
• Python 3.10+
• b280-olca-mcp (installed automatically)

Licence

MPL-2.0

Links

• B280 openLCA MCP
• B280 Python IPC tools
• Below280

Built by Below280. openLCA is developed by GreenDelta. BASIC was created by Kemeny and Kurtz at Dartmouth College, 1964. Navigation commands inspired by the Acorn Electron (1983).