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Energy-Environmental Impact Assessment of Greenhouse Grown Tomato: A Case Study in Almeria (Spain)

Author

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  • Katia Hueso-Kortekaas

    (ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • José C. Romero

    (Institute for Research in Technology (IIT), ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Raquel González-Felipe

    (ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most common crops across the world, but it is also one of the types of food that generates the most losses across its life cycle. This paper addresses this issue by providing a Life Cycle Analysis of greenhouse grown tomato in southern Spain. The results confirm that tomatoes are a thirsty and frail crop. Most of its energy demands and carbon emissions go to packaging (35%) and transportation (42%) as well as supplying water for their growth. There seems to be room for improvement in the recovery of energy (54.6%) and CO 2 emissions, mainly addressing the waste treatment of packaging and plastic as well as improving transportation. Despite being highly water demanding, irrigation processes are already efficient in industrial greenhouses, and most of the water recovery will need to take place in the waste recovery stage. Food losses at the consumption phases do not constitute a significant loss in energy or a significant amount of carbon emissions saved.

Suggested Citation

  • Katia Hueso-Kortekaas & José C. Romero & Raquel González-Felipe, 2021. "Energy-Environmental Impact Assessment of Greenhouse Grown Tomato: A Case Study in Almeria (Spain)," World, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:2:y:2021:i:3:p:27-441:d:630407
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Giovanni Mondello & Roberta Salomone & Giuseppe Ioppolo & Giuseppe Saija & Sergio Sparacia & Maria Claudia Lucchetti, 2017. "Comparative LCA of Alternative Scenarios for Waste Treatment: The Case of Food Waste Production by the Mass-Retail Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Vanesa G. Lo-Iacono-Ferreira & Rosario Viñoles-Cebolla & María José Bastante-Ceca & Salvador F. Capuz-Rizo, 2021. "Carbon Footprint Comparative Analysis of Cardboard and Plastic Containers Used for the International Transport of Spanish Tomatoes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-28, February.
    3. Gerçek, Sinan & Demirkaya, Mustafa & Işik, Doğan, 2017. "Water pillow irrigation versus drip irrigation with regard to growth and yield of tomato grown under greenhouse conditions in a semi-arid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 180(PA), pages 172-177.
    4. Massimo Canali & Pegah Amani & Lusine Aramyan & Manuela Gheoldus & Graham Moates & Karin Östergren & Kirsi Silvennoinen & Keith Waldron & Matteo Vittuari, 2016. "Food Waste Drivers in Europe, from Identification to Possible Interventions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-33, December.
    5. Milena Lipińska & Marzena Tomaszewska & Danuta Kołożyn-Krajewska, 2019. "Identifying Factors Associated with Food Losses during Transportation: Potentials for Social Purposes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-15, April.
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    1. Miriam Martín-Moreno & Katia Hueso-Kortekaas & Jose C. Romero, 2023. "Social Life Cycle Analysis of Intensive Greenhouse Farming: A Qualitative View of Tomato Production in Almeria (Spain)," World, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-13, September.

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