Abstract
Agriculture is expected to provide food in a sustainable manner while also partially contributing to the energy problem as well as to bio-material supply. Moreover, fossil fuels scarcity calls for an increase of energy efficiency in agricultural processes. This study evaluates patterns, trends, driving factors and trade-offs of energy use in selected agricultural systems and aims at grouping them into clusters with similar energy and social performances. Results show that in 2010 the highest power densities and energy intensities of production are found by crop sector of cluster 5 (China: 59.19 GJ/ha, 15.29 MJ/kg dm) and cluster 3 (Japan: 50.11 GJ/ha, 12.32 MJ/kg dm) as well as by livestock sector of cluster 3 (Japan: 328.47 GJ/ha, 103.08 MJ/kg dm), while the lowest values in clusters 2 and 4, including selected developing countries and USA. Cluster 3 (Japan) also shows the lowest energy intensity of economic value of crops (2.75 MJ/$), while cluster 5 (China) the highest one (23.96 MJ/$). Cluster analysis also sheds light on trends, identifying two groups: cluster 1*, gathering most European countries, USA and Japan, characterized by a decreasing trend of all energy indicators; and cluster 2*, including developing countries, the Netherlands and Spain, characterized by an increasing trend of indicators. Results highlight the importance of an integrated framework for evaluating energy use as well as of a multi-criteria approach to understand the trade-offs and interplay of performance indicators.
Full Text
Topics from this Paper
Energy Use
Cluster Analysis
Agricultural Processes
Social Performances
Life Cycle Energy Analysis
+ Show 5 more
Create a personalized feed of these topics
Get StartedSimilar Papers
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi)
Feb 25, 2002
Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Agriculture
Nov 27, 2015
European Journal of Agronomy
Oct 1, 2016
Energy Economics
Nov 1, 2013
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Oct 1, 2001
Energies
Dec 16, 2020
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Mar 1, 2006
Environmental Science & Technology
Mar 20, 2020
INNOVATIVE ECONOMY
May 19, 2021
Campbell Systematic Reviews
Jan 1, 2018
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Apr 1, 2022
Sustainability
Mar 5, 2021
Journal of Cleaner Production
Mar 1, 2013
Agris on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics
Sep 30, 2022
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Oct 2, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Oct 2, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Oct 2, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Oct 1, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Oct 1, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Sep 30, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Sep 30, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Sep 30, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Sep 29, 2023
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Sep 29, 2023