diff --git a/component/core.py b/component/core.py
index fc5b366238ed494c2fb483c2ae65639f42a7b270..86db21d37ab62bb2b7b9a731ecafa9ba82c5f48c 100644
--- a/component/core.py
+++ b/component/core.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class AbstractComponent:
     def _load_model(self, configuration, model):
         pass
 
-    def get_input_output_commodities(self):
+    def commodities_ordered(self):
         return (
             self.input_commodity_1,
             self.input_commodity_2,
diff --git a/topology.py b/topology.py
index 0fa52ff717bd820dc39e76f8ef7d2ba54bf2fe79..05d0981acefd0580deac7c2e1ca6a7c223ac5621 100644
--- a/topology.py
+++ b/topology.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class Topology:
                 input_commodity_2,
                 output_commodity_1,
                 output_commodity_2,
-            ) = component.get_input_output_commodities()
+            ) = component.commodities_ordered()
             if input_commodity_1 != None:
                 self._connectors[component_name, "input_1"] = Connector(
                     component_name + ".input_1"
@@ -190,14 +190,8 @@ class Topology:
                     connector = self._connectors[member_component, member_connector]
                     connector.flows.append(flow)
                     # connector.other_sides.append(index)
-            if "loss_factor" in connection:
-                loss_factor = connection["loss_factor"]
-            else:
-                loss_factor = 0.0
-            if "capacity" in connection:
-                capacity = connection["capacity"]
-            else:
-                capacity = None
+            loss_factor = connection.get("loss_factor", 0.0)
+            capacity = connection.get("capacity", None)
             self._connections.append(
                 Connection(in_flows, out_flows, loss_factor, capacity)
             )
@@ -240,25 +234,10 @@ class Topology:
         #             connector.flows[0] = connector.name
         #             other_side.replace_flow(flow_to_remove, connector.name)
 
-        if "additional_model_logic" in configuration:
-            self._additional_model_logic = configuration["additional_model_logic"]
-        else:
-            self._additional_model_logic = dict()
-
-        if "planning_horizon" in configuration:
-            self._planning_horizon = configuration["planning_horizon"]
-        else:
-            self._planning_horizon = 1
-
-        if "price_change_factor" in configuration:
-            self._price_change_factor = configuration["price_change_factor"]
-        else:
-            self._price_change_factor = 1.0
-
-        if "interest_factor" in configuration:
-            self._interest_factor = configuration["interest_factor"]
-        else:
-            self._interest_factor = 1.0
+        self._additional_model_logic = configuration.get("additional_model_logic", dict())
+        self._planning_horizon = configuration.get("planning_horizon", 1)
+        self._price_change_factor = configuration.get("price_change_factor", 1.0)
+        self._interest_factor = configuration.get("interest_factor", 1.0)
 
         self._results = dict()
         self._last_result_key = None