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Exergoecology as a tool for ecological modelling. The case of the US food production chain

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  • Torres, César
  • Valero, Antonio
  • Valero, Alicia

Abstract

Exergoecology and in particular, thermoeconomic analysis is used to understand the process of cost formation and to improve the design and the operation of extensive energy consumption systems such as power and chemical plants. This paper shows the capabilities for using the thermoeconomic analysis in environmental systems, and demonstrates that it could become a useful tool for identifying the ways for improving the energy resources cost and the efficiency of a macroeconomic system such as the US food production chain. The environmental impact associated with each process in the food production chain can be quantified through a thermoeconomic approach as a cost function, which represents the required natural resources to obtain a final product. In the example provided, several simulations such as the impact of the change of meat diet basis for a vegetarian diet, and reusing the residual biomass are analyzed.

Suggested Citation

  • Torres, César & Valero, Antonio & Valero, Alicia, 2013. "Exergoecology as a tool for ecological modelling. The case of the US food production chain," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 255(C), pages 21-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:255:y:2013:i:c:p:21-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jose-Luis Palacios & Guiomar Calvo & Alicia Valero & Antonio Valero, 2018. "Exergoecology Assessment of Mineral Exports from Latin America: Beyond a Tonnage Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Acevedo, Luis & Usón, Sergio & Uche, Javier, 2015. "Local exergy cost analysis of microwave heating systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 437-451.
    3. Rocco, Matteo V. & Di Lucchio, Alberto & Colombo, Emanuela, 2017. "Exergy Life Cycle Assessment of electricity production from Waste-to-Energy technology: A Hybrid Input-Output approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 832-844.
    4. Sciubba, Enrico, 2019. "Exergy-based ecological indicators: From Thermo-Economics to cumulative exergy consumption to Thermo-Ecological Cost and Extended Exergy Accounting," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 462-476.

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