Title: Planning of agricultural production in agro-energy districts of Greece

Authors: Anna Kalioropoulou; Basil Manos; Thomas Bournaris; Stefanos A. Nastis

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Department of Agricultural Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: This paper presents a multi-criteria model for agricultural production planning in agro-energy districts. The use of crop residues to produce thermal and electric energy promotes a sustainable environment. This is the reason that the formation of agro-energy districts and the increase of biomass energy production are among the main goals of the EU programming period 2014-2020. The model has two main objectives: income maximisation and maximisation of biomass energy produced by the crops' residues. The utility function of the multi-criteria model combines the two objectives and is maximised under a set of constraints. The model is applied in two prefectures of northern Greece, Imathia and Kilkis, located in the region of Central Macedonia. The two prefectures have different characteristics in relation to the main crops cultivated in their respective crops plans. In both prefectures, the optimum production plan achieves greater income and greater biomass energy production.

Keywords: agro-energy districts; biomass energy; multi-criteria model; farm planning; Greece.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2017.090294

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2017 Vol.3 No.3, pp.181 - 195

Received: 19 Jun 2017
Accepted: 20 Jul 2017
Published online: 09 Mar 2018 *

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