IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i10p3530-d173112.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy Life-Cycle Assessment of Fruit Products—Case Study of Beira Interior’s Peach (Portugal)

Author

Listed:
  • João Pires Gaspar

    (Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal)

  • Pedro Dinis Gaspar

    (Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
    C-MAST—Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technologies, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal)

  • Pedro Dinho da Silva

    (Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
    C-MAST—Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technologies, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal)

  • Maria Paula Simões

    (Agriculture School, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal
    Centro de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Sociedade (CERNAS), Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Bencanta, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Christophe Espírito Santo

    (Agrofood Technological Center, Castelo Branco, Portugal)

Abstract

Currently, there is a growing demand for cleaner and sustainable technologies due to environmental issues. In this sense, there is a necessity to manage the assessment of production processes and the rationalization of energy consumption. In this study, an Energy Life-Cycle Assessment (ELCA) was carried out through energy efficiency indicators, directed to the characterization and renewability of the peach production system life-cycle in the Portuguese region of Beira Interior . The study intends to investigate the non-renewable energy inputs from fossil fuels, as well as the emissions resulting from machinery. In addition, warehouse energy inputs are analyzed, mainly cooling systems of refrigerated chambers where fruits are preserved. This analysis aims to find opportunities for technological, environmental and best practices improvements. Test scenarios were analyzed and revealing soil groundcover maintenance is the operation with the largest impact in the energy consumption of the production process (3176 MJ·ha −1 ). In the post-harvest processes, the energy consumption largest impact is given by the warehouse’s operations (35,700 MJ·ha −1 ), followed by transportation (6180 MJ·ha −1 ). Concerning the emissions resulting from the fuels consumption, the largest impact is due to the plantation machinery and the transportation from warehouse to retailers.

Suggested Citation

  • João Pires Gaspar & Pedro Dinis Gaspar & Pedro Dinho da Silva & Maria Paula Simões & Christophe Espírito Santo, 2018. "Energy Life-Cycle Assessment of Fruit Products—Case Study of Beira Interior’s Peach (Portugal)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-12, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3530-:d:173112
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3530/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3530/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beatrice Marchi & Simone Zanoni, 2017. "Supply Chain Management for Improved Energy Efficiency: Review and Opportunities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-29, October.
    2. Ghatrehsamani, Shirin & Ebrahimi, Rahim & Kazi, Salim Newaz & Badarudin Badry, Ahmad & Sadeghinezhad, Emad, 2016. "Optimization model of peach production relevant to input energies – Yield function in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province, Iran," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 315-321.
    3. Pasquale Marcello Falcone & Enrica Imbert, 2018. "Social Life Cycle Approach as a Tool for Promoting the Market Uptake of Bio-Based Products from a Consumer Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Thomas Schaubroeck & Benedetto Rugani, 2017. "A Revision of What Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment Should Entail: Towards Modeling the Net Impact on Human Well†Being," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(6), pages 1464-1477, December.
    5. Hemmati, Abolfazl & Tabatabaeefar, Ahmad & Rajabipour, Ali, 2013. "Comparison of energy flow and economic performance between flat land and sloping land olive orchards," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 472-478.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Martim Aguiar & Pedro Dinis Gaspar & Pedro Dinho da Silva, 2023. "Thermal Management of Short-Range Distribution of Perishable Food Products Using Phase Change Materials in Packaging: Real-Time Field Data Acquisition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Kosemani, Babajide S. & Bamgboye, A. Isaac, 2020. "Energy input-output analysis of rice production in Nigeria," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    3. Jara Laso & Daniel Hoehn & María Margallo & Isabel García-Herrero & Laura Batlle-Bayer & Alba Bala & Pere Fullana-i-Palmer & Ian Vázquez-Rowe & Angel Irabien & Rubén Aldaco, 2018. "Assessing Energy and Environmental Efficiency of the Spanish Agri-Food System Using the LCA/DEA Methodology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Yang Zhang & Zhenghui Fu & Yulei Xie & Qing Hu & Zheng Li & Huaicheng Guo, 2020. "A Comprehensive Forecasting–Optimization Analysis Framework for Environmental-Oriented Power System Management—A Case Study of Harbin City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-26, May.
    5. Giacomo Falcone & Teodora Stillitano & Anna Irene De Luca & Giuseppe Di Vita & Nathalie Iofrida & Alfio Strano & Giovanni Gulisano & Biagio Pecorino & Mario D’Amico, 2020. "Energetic and Economic Analyses for Agricultural Management Models: The Calabria PGI Clementine Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qiang Zhai & Linsen Zhu & Shizhou Lu, 2018. "Life Cycle Assessment of a Buoy-Rope-Drum Wave Energy Converter," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Javad Zare Derakhshan & Saeed Firouzi & Armaghan Kosari-Moghaddam, 2022. "Energy audit of tobacco production agro-system based on different farm size levels in northern Iran," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2715-2735, February.
    3. Anni Orola & Anna Härri & Jarkko Levänen & Ville Uusitalo & Stig Irving Olsen, 2022. "Assessing WELBY Social Life Cycle Assessment Approach through Cobalt Mining Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-26, September.
    4. Jose Luis Osorio-Tejada & Eva Llera-Sastresa & Sabina Scarpellini & Tito Morales-Pinzón, 2022. "Social Organizational Life Cycle Assessment of Transport Services: Case Studies in Colombia, Spain, and Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Datu Buyung Agusdinata & Wenjuan Liu & Sinta Sulistyo & Philippe LeBillon & Je'anne Wegner, 2023. "Evaluating sustainability impacts of critical mineral extractions: Integration of life cycle sustainability assessment and SDGs frameworks," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(3), pages 746-759, June.
    6. Barbón, A. & Fortuny Ayuso, P. & Bayón, L. & Silva, C.A., 2023. "Experimental and numerical investigation of the influence of terrain slope on the performance of single-axis trackers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    7. Rafael Tordecilla-Madera & Andrés Polo & Adrián Cañón, 2018. "Vehicles Allocation for Fruit Distribution Considering CO 2 Emissions and Decisions on Subcontracting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, July.
    8. Hannah Karlewski & Annekatrin Lehmann & Klaus Ruhland & Matthias Finkbeiner, 2019. "A Practical Approach for Social Life Cycle Assessment in the Automotive Industry," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-60, August.
    9. Haiyun, Cui & Zhixiong, Huang & Yüksel, Serhat & Dinçer, Hasan, 2021. "Analysis of the innovation strategies for green supply chain management in the energy industry using the QFD-based hybrid interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy decision approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    10. Pasquale Marcello Falcone & Edgardo Sica, 2019. "Assessing the Opportunities and Challenges of Green Finance in Italy: An Analysis of the Biomass Production Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, January.
    11. Padi, Richard Kingsley & Douglas, Sean & Murphy, Fionnuala, 2023. "Techno-economic potentials of integrating decentralised biomethane production systems into existing natural gas grids," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    12. Xia, Jing & Niu, Wenju, 2021. "Carbon-reducing contract design for a supply chain with environmental responsibility under asymmetric information," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Nils Thonemann & Anna Schulte & Daniel Maga, 2020. "How to Conduct Prospective Life Cycle Assessment for Emerging Technologies? A Systematic Review and Methodological Guidance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, February.
    14. Falcone, Pasquale Marcello & Tani, Almona & Tartiu, Valentina Elena & Imbriani, Cesare, 2020. "Towards a sustainable forest-based bioeconomy in Italy: Findings from a SWOT analysis," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    15. Rui Ren & Wanjie Hu & Jianjun Dong & Bo Sun & Yicun Chen & Zhilong Chen, 2019. "A Systematic Literature Review of Green and Sustainable Logistics: Bibliometric Analysis, Research Trend and Knowledge Taxonomy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-25, December.
    16. Adriana Rivera-Huerta & María de la Salud Rubio Lozano & Alejandro Padilla-Rivera & Leonor Patricia Güereca, 2019. "Social Sustainability Assessment in Livestock Production: A Social Life Cycle Assessment Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-22, August.
    17. Rodrigo Rodrigues de Freitas & Joyce Azevedo Caetano & Cintia Machado de Oliveira & Felipe do Carmo Amorim & Marcio Antelio Neves da Silva, 2022. "Transport Sustainability Index: An Application Multicriteria Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-14, October.
    18. Zeug, Walther & Bezama, Alberto & Thrän, Daniela, 2020. "Towards a holistic and integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of the bioeconomy: Background on concepts, visions and measurements," UFZ Discussion Papers 7/2020, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    19. A S M Monjurul Hasan & Mohammad Rokonuzzaman & Rashedul Amin Tuhin & Shah Md. Salimullah & Mahfuz Ullah & Taiyeb Hasan Sakib & Patrik Thollander, 2019. "Drivers and Barriers to Industrial Energy Efficiency in Textile Industries of Bangladesh," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.
    20. Idiano D’Adamo & Rocío González-Sánchez & Maria Sonia Medina-Salgado & Davide Settembre-Blundo, 2021. "E-Commerce Calls for Cyber-Security and Sustainability: How European Citizens Look for a Trusted Online Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3530-:d:173112. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.