Brown coal briquettes and similar solid fuels manufactured from brown coal

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR covers non-carbonized manufactured solid fuels from lignite or sub-bituminous coal, including briquettes with or without binder and dried fines and dust. Hard-coal fuels, peat briquettes, biomass briquettes and carbonized coke are excluded. Raw-coal mining is upstream; finished moisture, shaping and packaging state determine comparability. See un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels for the official product boundary.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.ores-and-minerals-electricity-gas-and-water.coal-and-peat.brown-coal-briquettes-and-similar-solid-fuels-manufactured-from-brown-coal
classification_refs	CPC 3.0:11040
covered_products	Brown-coal briquettes; similar non-carbonized manufactured brown-coal solid fuels; dried fines and dust
excluded_products	Unmanufactured raw coal; hard-coal fuels; peat and biomass briquettes; coke
representative_product	Binder-free lignite briquette
production_route	Feed preparation, drying where needed, pressing or milling, cooling, release and applicable packaging
market_state	Saleable finished fuel at factory gate, at measured as-received moisture

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Provide solid fuel for later combustion; does not represent delivered useful heat
How much	1 kg saleable finished fuel
How well	Declare as-received moisture, ash, net calorific value, feed coal rank, binder formulation and product form
How long or cycle	One declared production accounting period covering normal operation and start/stop losses; use stage modelled separately
reference_flow_link	reference_product

Field	Value
Reference amount	1
Reference product flow	Brown coal briquettes and similar solid fuels manufactured from brown coal 5a782c79-14b1-4a0a-9e61-09693c97db53
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	Feed rank and origin; moisture and ash with analysis basis; net calorific value with analysis basis; binder identity and content; size and shape; heat source and carrier; packaging; geography; technology; accounting period

Required qualifiers must be declared in data-package metadata; missing qualifiers make the reference flow incomplete. The 1 kg quantity is net fuel mass including measured moisture, excluding packaging.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_mass	reference_product	Mass	kg	Use calibrated scales and release records to obtain net finished-fuel mass for the same period under cp_mass. Do not use packaged gross mass or dry mass as denominator.
energy_units	prep_electricity; drying_electricity; finish_electricity; pack_electricity; drying_heat	Energy	MJ	Convert electricity recorded in kWh using 1 kWh = 3.6 MJ; report heat as net delivered MJ. Do not substitute fuel calorific value for drying heat demand.

The electricity conversion and declared calorific basis use un-ires-energy, sections 4.23 and 4.33–4.37.

5. System Boundary

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	Mined lignite or sub-bituminous coal entering refining site; declare moisture and prior preparation
starting_condition_role	Foreground input handoff, not burden-free resource
product_classification_scope	Manufactured brown-coal solid fuels; excludes mining, carbonization, peat and hard-coal fuels
recursive_input_rule	Record purchased same-category fuel as a separate input with upstream dataset; internal fines recycle stays in internal material ledger without a second external feed input
upstream_dataset_requirement	Link coal mining and inbound transport, heat/electricity supply, binder and packaging production, and waste treatment datasets; onsite utility generation requires a separate upstream submodel and must not be burden-free
disclosure	Declare handoffs, recycle, upstream coverage, utility losses, packaging, emissions and all exclusions

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
boundary_gate	foreground	Include feed reception, preparation, drying, mechanical shaping or milling, cooling, release and applicable packaging.	leag-refining-route
boundary_upstream	utility_supply	Represent utility generation in linked supply submodels, onsite or offsite. Account for fuels, combustion emissions, ash, auxiliary water and losses there; avoid double counting with utility inputs.
boundary_complete	all exchanges	The inventory is a starting set of common exchanges. Add atomic exchanges and protocols for every additional binder, cooling make-up water, lubricant, packaging component, purchased recycle, condensate waste stream and direct emission actually present; absence from this table is not a cut-off.
boundary_use	downstream	Outbound delivery, final combustion and end-user ash treatment are outside this foreground manufacturing package; downstream models must include them using finished composition and combustion technology.

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
preparation	Feed preparation	required		Foreground manufacturing	1 kg reference flow
drying	Drying and emission control	conditional	When moisture removal or associated emission-control equipment operates	Foreground manufacturing	1 kg reference flow
finishing	Finishing, cooling and release	required		Foreground manufacturing	1 kg reference flow
packaging	Packaging	conditional	When packaged product is supplied	Foreground manufacturing	1 kg reference flow

Process: Feed preparation (preparation)

Inputs

Product flows

lignite (lignite_feed)

When lignite is used as feedstock.

• Selected flow: lignite db766ffc-c44d-4ecf-b906-98d90565dc01
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_material.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels

Sub-bituminous coal (subbit_feed)

When sub-bituminous coal is used as feedstock; record separately from lignite.

• Selected flow: Sub-bituminous coal a3573912-328b-402e-8f64-f39e34a6a00c
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_material.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels

Industrial alternating-current electricity (prep_electricity)

Meter preparation and conveying electricity; record supply voltage, country and supplier.

• Selected flow: Industrial alternating-current electricity
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_energy.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy
• Sources:

Process: Drying and emission control (drying)

Inputs

Product flows

heat (drying_heat)

Include when thermal drying operates. Measure net heat delivered; record carrier, steam conditions and condensate return if applicable.

• Selected flow: heat 4f19a302-7b3b-11dd-ad8b-0800200c9a66
• Flow property / unit: Net calorific value / MJ
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_heat.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_heat
• Sources:

Industrial alternating-current electricity (drying_electricity)

Include dryer drives, fans and dust-control electricity when drying operates.

• Selected flow: Industrial alternating-current electricity
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_energy.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy
• Sources:

Outputs

Elementary flows

water vapour (dryer_vapor)

Include only evaporated water discharged to air; recovered condensate is not an air emission. Reconcile feed and product moisture and actual vent records.

• Selected flow: water vapour fe0acd60-3ddc-11dd-ac04-0050c2490048
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_emissions.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emissions
• Sources:

Particulate matter, particle size unspecified (plant_dust)

Record total refining-line particulate discharge after controls, including handling and pressing; assign it here once. Use this identity only when size fraction is unspecified.

• Selected flow: Particulate matter, particle size unspecified 0ce3dedb-caca-407b-a856-a90470eb8ec0
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_emissions.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_emissions
• Sources:

Process: Finishing, cooling and release (finishing)

Inputs

Product flows

Coal-tar pitch binder (pitch_binder)

Include only if formulation contains coal-tar pitch. This is a conditional exchange, not a default recipe.

• Selected flow: Coal-tar pitch binder
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_material.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_material
• Sources: un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels

Industrial alternating-current electricity (finish_electricity)

Meter pressing or milling, cooling and release handling; exclude already recorded preparation and drying electricity.

• Selected flow: Industrial alternating-current electricity
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_energy.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy
• Sources:

Outputs

Product flows

Brown coal briquettes and similar solid fuels manufactured from brown coal (reference_product)

Net saleable finished fuel at the factory gate, with moisture and market form declared. This is one declared formulation and physical market form per dataset; do not pool unlike finished fuels in one exchange.

• Selected flow: Manufactured brown-coal solid fuel 5a782c79-14b1-4a0a-9e61-09693c97db53
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: 1 kg
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_mass
• Sources: un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels

Waste flows

Discarded lignite briquette fragments (lignite_reject)

Include only lignite-derived fragments leaving for waste treatment. Internally recycled fines are not external waste; sub-bituminous rejects require their own concrete exchange if present.

• Selected flow: Discarded lignite briquette fragments
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_waste.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste
• Sources:

Process: Packaging (packaging)

Inputs

Product flows

Polyethylene packaging film (pe_film)

Include when polyethylene film packaging is supplied with the fuel; bulk product has no film input.

• Selected flow: Polyethylene packaging film
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_packaging.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging
• Sources:

Industrial alternating-current electricity (pack_electricity)

Include packaging-line electricity only when packaging operates.

• Selected flow: Industrial alternating-current electricity
• Flow property / unit: Energy / MJ
• Amount rule: Collect attributable period exchange and normalize by net finished-product mass for the same period using cp_energy.
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg reference flow
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_energy
• Sources:

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
allocation_subdivide	shared_operations	Separate burdens by metered operation, production line or batch first; internal recycle is not a co-product.	ghg-product-standard
allocation_shared	shared_operations	Collect attributable burdens and physical driver records under cp_allocation; shared burdens without demonstrated physical causality must not be arbitrarily allocated by product mass. Disclose alternative allocation and sensitivity and require methodology review.	ghg-product-standard
allocation_waste	lignite_reject	Link actual waste treatment without automatic substitution credit for waste or internal recycle. Retain reject and start/stop burdens in the released-product denominator.

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Primary-data collection and quality assessment follow ghg-product-standard, chapter 8; allocation subdivision and physical relationships follow chapter 9. These general GHG inventory principles support this foreground LCA package; they do not establish full Standard conformity. The site-specific weighing, metering, moisture ledger and sampling protocols below implement those principles and must be documented for the actual installation. Energy units and fuel-specific calorific basis follow un-ires-energy, chapter IV; no default fuel calorific value or process intensity is adopted.

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_mass	finishing	reference_product	foreground production records	batch; packaging tare; finished net mass; moisture; ash; net calorific value; form; release record	Calibrated weighing; representative same-batch sampling with analytical method and basis recorded; reconcile release and inventory	kg	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_material	preparation; finishing	lignite_feed; subbit_feed; pitch_binder	foreground production records	batch; material identity; coal rank; receipts; moisture; stock changes; formulation	Reconcile weighing, delivery and formulation records for net external input; track internal recycle separately	kg	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_energy	preparation; drying; finishing; packaging	electricity	foreground production records	meter readings; meter boundary; voltage; supplier; country; operation; accounting period	Read submeters and reconcile main meter and invoices; prevent repeated shared burdens; retain start/stop electricity	kWh	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_heat	drying	drying_heat	foreground production records	heat meter; steam and returned condensate flows; temperature; pressure; enthalpy; supply losses and origin	Use calibrated heat meter; for steam reconcile measured flows and inlet/return enthalpies with documented property method; no default efficiency	MJ	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_emissions	drying	dryer_vapor; plant_dust	foreground production records	vent flow; particulate concentration; operating hours; moisture balance; condensate fate; controls	Integrate monitored discharge with operating records; reconcile evaporated water with closed moisture ledger separating recovery and venting; disclose estimates and uncertainty for gaps	kg	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_waste	finishing	lignite_reject	foreground production records	waste composition; net mass; fate; recycle quantity; transfer record; coal rank	Weigh lignite fragments sent for external treatment and reconcile transfers and internal recycle; do not mix ash into this flow	kg	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_packaging	packaging	pe_film	foreground production records	film resin; net use; loss; product batch; packaging specification	Reconcile purchase, issue and stock ledgers for polyethylene film; record mass delivered with fuel and separate film-trim waste exchange	kg	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty
cp_allocation	all processes	shared_operations	foreground production records	shared burden; meters; batch; physical driver; assigned shares; co-products; sensitivity	Submeter first; retain engineering causality and reconcile all assigned shares; refer unsupported allocation for methodology review	original record unit	per batch and monthly reconciliation	complete declared accounting period	same refining site and formulation	per 1 kg reference flow	calibration; raw ledger; boundary reconciliation; gaps and uncertainty

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
normalize_records	all inventory rows	Divide each attributable period exchange by released net fuel mass in the same period, retaining its numerator unit. Reference product itself is 1 kg.	cp_mass; cp_material; cp_energy; cp_heat; cp_emissions; cp_waste; cp_packaging; cp_allocation	exchange per 1 kg reference flow

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
quality_state	reference_product	Moisture, formulation, rank and calorific value must match inventory batches; do not mix dry and as-received bases.	cp_mass; cp_material
quality_complete	all inventory rows	Record period, calibration, start/stop, stocks and recycle; add every extra exchange present; missing data is not zero.	collection protocols and raw ledgers
quality_range	all inventory rows	External empirical ranges require at least two independent original-verified boundary-compatible sources; current rules require collection instead of defaults.	source applicability and independence record

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	applies_to	rule	source_ids
validate_reference	reference_product	Check 1 kg net fuel reference quantity, complete qualifiers and consistency with release batches and analytical basis.
validate_denominator	all inventory rows	All exchanges must use the same finished-product denominator; reconcile period, electricity conversion and heat handoff without duplicating recycle or utility-generation burdens.
validate_balance	material_and_water	Reconcile dry-matter and moisture balances with packaging, waste, emissions, stock and recycle ledgers; investigate discrepancies beyond declared measurement uncertainty without an unverified default tolerance.
validate_identity	all inventory rows	Do not substitute proxies for unresolved UUIDs; confirm actual geography, voltage, carrier, product state and emission compartment before dataset publication.

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	Foreground manufacturing data package
downstream_use	secondary_dataset; background_dataset
allowed_use	Fuel supply modelling with matching form, moisture and route, linked upstream and downstream
excluded_use	Direct useful-heat equivalence; proxy for hard coal, peat, biomass or coke; unconditional full-life-cycle comparison
required_metadata	Required qualifiers; metering boundaries; period; recycle; co-products; upstream/downstream links
required_quality_disclosure	UUID and range gaps; meter and assay uncertainty; allocation; missing data; coverage
update_trigger	Update when feed, formulation, moisture, utility supply, technology or packaging changes

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
un-cpc3-brown-coal-fuels	official_guidance	Central Product Classification (CPC) Version 3.0 Explanatory Notes; UNSD, 30 June 2025, PDF p.56; verified 2026-10-01	Product boundary, feed ranks and binder/no-binder variants
leag-refining-route	literature	Heimisch, heizstark, effizient: Veredelte Brennstoffe von LEAG; retrieved 2026-10-01	Preparation, drying, forming/milling and bulk/packaged state; German producer case, no default intensity
ghg-product-standard	official_guidance	Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard; WRI/WBCSD, 2011, chapters 8–9, printed pp.47–48 and 63; verified 2026-10-01	Primary data, quality indicators, subdivision and physical allocation; general principles only, no default factors
un-ires-energy	official_guidance	International Recommendations for Energy Statistics; United Nations, 2018, chapter IV, printed pp.44 and 46; verified 2026-10-01	Electricity conversion, net/gross calorific basis and fuel-specific measurements; no manufacturing range