An Investigation of Energy Use Efficiency and CO2 Emissions for Grape Production in Zanjan Province of Iran

Objective: The aims of this study were to determine energy efficiency and CO2 use pattern of grape production in Zanjan province, Iran by a non-parametric method of data envelopment analysis (DEA). Methods: Initial data were collected using a face to face questionnaire from 42 orchards in Abhar city of Zanjan province which is one of the most important centers of grape production in Iran. The DEA method was applied based on seven inputs including human labor, machinery, diesel fuel, fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphate, potassium and farmyard manure), chemicals (pesticides and fungicides), water for irrigation, electricity and with the single output of grape yield. Results: The results indicated that based on variable returns to scale (BCC) model, 23.8% of the grape orchards were efficient. While based on constant returns to scale (CCR) model, it was 16.6%. The technical, pure technical and scale efficiency were found to be 0.668, 0.857 and 0.797, respectively.  Energy use efficiency, energy productivity and net energy were found to be 4.14, 0.35 and 64178 MJ ha-1respectively. The results of CO2 analysis showed that the total CO2 emissions of grape production were found to be 1207.37 kgCO2eq. ha-1.