energy and economic assessment of biodiesel production from olive pomace oil: a lifecycle approach

the aims of this study were to assess the energy and economic flows of biodiesel production from olive pomace oil using transesterification method with ultrasound waves. for this purpose biodiesel production from this feedstock were examined through a life-cycle process with considering five main stages of agricultural production, transportation, olive oil extraction, pomace oil extraction and biodiesel production. the results revealed that total energy input were 2601.91 and 3805.04 mj/ha based on mass-based allocation and economic-based allocation model, respectively. total energy output (biodiesel as the final outcome) was found to be as 34898.36 mj/ha. some energy indicators for production of biodiesel include: energy efficiency, energy productivity, net energy and fossil energy ratio (fer), which were 1.34-0.92 (with no unit), 0.04-0.03 l/mj, 1413.50-(-) 315.68 mj/ha, 1(with no unit), respectively for mass-based and economic-based allocation. the share of indirect energy and non-renewable energy were higher than the share of direct energy and renewable energy. analysis of economic performance indicates that total production value, gross return, net return, benefit to cost (ratio) and productivity were 3.24 million rial/ha, 1.02 million rial/ha, 1.01 million rial/ha, 1.45 (with no unit) and 48.43 l/ million rial respectively.