Energy optimization and its effects on the environmental repercussions of honey production

Abstract

In this study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approaches were applied to quantify the environmental repercussions and optimize the energy input flow of the beekeeping units in Babol region, Mazandaran Province, Iran. Environmental impacts were assessed in the form of three categories including Global Warming Potential (GWP), Land Use and Water Consumption based on ReCiPe (H) on the midpoint level. Required data were collected from 44 beekeepers by questionnaires and face-to-face interview. The results of environmental assessment showed high contribution of the sugar in all three categories as of global warming, land use and water consumption (88.4, 99.8, and 99.8%, respectively). Based on the results obtained from DEA method, 48% of the units, were evaluated as the inefficient. The lowest energy use efficiency was related to the drug, small truck and diesel fuel inputs, respectively, which 25.1, 13.6, and 12.7% of their energy can be saved through energy flow optimization. Diesel fuel and sugar showed the highest effect to the potential of total energy saving with the contribution of 51, and 36.4%, respectively. The results related to the environmental profiles of the inefficient units, showed that the optimization can mitigate the environmental impacts by 2–27%, which depends on the efficiency scores of the beekeeping units. As can be inferred from the findings of the present study, reconsidering the honeybee feeding techniques and finding a suitable alternative for sugar seem to be necessary.

Keywords

• Apiculture
• Beekeeping
• Environmental impacts
• Efficiency
• Global warming