Optimization of energy required and greenhouse gas emissions analysis for orange producers using data envelopment analysis approach

Data envelopment analysis is a non-parametric method for multi-criteria decision and performance measurement. This approach has two models including constant returns to scale and variable returns to scale model. The main objective of this study was to analyze the efficiency of orchardists, discriminate efficient orchardists from inefficient ones and identify wasteful uses of energy using Data envelopment analysis for orange production in Guilan province of Iran. Also, another purpose of this paper was to determine greenhouse gas emissions for efficient and inefficient orange producers. This method was used based on single output of orange yield and seven energy inputs including human labor, machinery, diesel fuel, chemical fertilizers, farmyard manure, chemical and electricity. The technical, pure technical, scale and cross efficiencies were calculated for orange orchardists using CCR and BCC models. The results indicated that out of the total number of orchardists the share of efficient and inefficient units were 73.3% and 26.7% based on BCC model, respectively. Also, the results revealed the average of technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies of orchardists were 0.894, 0.965 and 0.922, respectively. Energy saving for target ratio was calculated about 13% for orange production in Guilan province of Iran. The energy use efficiency, energy productivity and net energy were improved by 14.7%, 14.4% and 15.4% using optimization of energy. The results illustrated the difference of greenhouse gas emissions between efficient and inefficient units. It was calculated about 19.6%. Also, the electricity has the highest difference of greenhouse gas emissions between efficient and inefficient orchardists for orange production. Generally, the application of data envelopment analysis method can improve energy efficiency and GHG emissions in orange production, significantly. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.