Enhancers of the energy efficiency in tea processing industry

The cost reduction of green tea processing, the control of fossil fuel resources, and the curbing of corresponding greenhouse gases emission depend on the energy efficiency of tea processing units. Therefore, it is imperative to identify and analyze factors determining energy efficiency of these agro-industrial units. To this end, the present descriptive survey was carried out on 40 managers of tea factories in Guilan Province, Iran. At the first phase of the study, the experts and managers of the tea manufacturing units were given an open-response question to identify the factors affecting energy productivity of tea industry. Then, the factors were divided into three broad categories of technical, managerial-policy, and knowledge-skill. The statistical analysis of final questionnaire data showed that “the correct and sound design of the new hot air furnaces”, “the enhancement of technical knowledge of technicians in withering, fermentation, drying and storage units”, and “optimum scheduling of withering operation with respect to the final status of green tea leaf” were found to be the most important technical, managerial-policy, and knowledge-skill factors determining the improvement of energy productivity in tea factories of Guilan Province, respectively. Accordingly, it is recommended to hold training courses to enhance energy productivity knowledge of tea factory managers, to improve the technical knowledge of technicians in withering, rolling, fermentation, drying, and storage units, to renew machinery and equipment of tea factories, to enforce manufacturing units to comply with relevant quality standards, and to allocate financial supports through low-interest loans for mounting tea processing machinery and equipment with high energy efficiency.