Energy use and carbon dioxide emission analysis in sugarcane farms: a survey on Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company in Iran

Energy use, natural resources use and corresponding pollution impacts are indicators of production process intensification. On the other hand, population growth and the need for more amounts of food with safer and cleaner quality have encouraged producers to improve their energy efficiency at its height. The aim of this study was to examine energy input in per hectare of sugarcane production in ratooning and planted systems of Iran. The study was performed in Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company situated in southern region of Iran in 2012. As a result of this study, total energy expenditure was about 198 GJ ha−1 and 43% of that was consumed directly and about 57% was indirect energy form in planted farms. The input–output energy ratio and energy productivity indices were also calculated as 1.18 and 0.63 kg MJ−1 respectively. In ratoon farms, the total energy use and the shares for direct and indirect forms of energy were nearly 144 GJ ha−1, 33% and 67%, respectively. The lower energy use in ratoon farms can be attributed to lack of land preparation operations need and sugarcane stalk cuttings use. The quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission of inputs for the planted and ratoon systems i.e. CO2eq emitted from sugarcane production operations were therefore 8.2 ton ha−1 and averagely 6.3 ton ha−1, respectively. As a recommendation, decreasing machinery operations by applying zero or no tillage systems, modern irrigation systems and renewable energy sources can lead to improve energy efficiency and consequently diminish the GHG emissions.