Title: Optimisation of cumulative energy and exergy consumption of irrigated wheat production system using data envelopment analysis approach

Authors: Jaafar Habibi Asl; Abbas Asakereh

Addresses: Agriculture Engineering Research Department, Khuzestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Ahvaz, Iran ' Department of Biosystems Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to optimise cumulative energy and exergy consumption to increase the sustainability and renewability of wheat production by using data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique. Data were collected from farmers in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Cumulative energy and exergy consumption are 50,227 and 29,656 MJ/ha, respectively, which in the target scenario based on DEA, is reduced to 37,891 and 25,671 MJ/ha, respectively. The average technical efficiency score of wheat producers in terms of cumulative energy and exergy consumption was 0.784 and 0.960, respectively. The results showed that 80.70% and 77.2% of farmers were inefficient in energy and exergy consumption, respectively. Cumulative degree of perfection and renewable index were 0.72 and -0.185, respectively. In the optimal scenario, these indices increased by 15.3% and 79.5%, respectively. The highest amount of exergy saving was related to chemical fertilisers and diesel fuel.

Keywords: cumulative degree of perfection; cumulative energy and exergy consumption; CExC; data envelopment analysis; DEA; energy efficiency; renewability index.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2023.134287

International Journal of Exergy, 2023 Vol.42 No.1, pp.77 - 95

Received: 04 Apr 2023
Accepted: 29 May 2023
Published online: 17 Oct 2023 *

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