Energy in Agriculture

Publications

The work done in this field regards the question as to which kind of energy must be considered within agricultural LCAs. 
For example, depending on the question, it can be of interest whether the solar energy is irradiated, absorbed by the plant, chemically bound, or usable . These differences also occur between the calorific and the metabolisable energy contents of animal feed as well as the lower and higher heating value of crops with extremely high water content such as potato and sugar beet.
Basic methodological studies as well as applications can be found, among others, in the following publications:

• G. A. Reinhardt, N. C. Jungk: 
  CED and Regenerative Energy Resources: Methodological Particularities and Significance of the Results (in German). 
  Published in: Ökoinstitut (ed.): internet publication of the contributions to the symposium "Kumulierter Energieaufwand - Grobcheck für Ökobilanzen" (Cumulated Energy Demand - Rough Check for LCAs), 1/10/1999, Weimar (www.oeko.de/service/kea)
• J. Moerschner, S. O. Gärtner, and G. A. Reinhardt: 
  Energy Flows in Food Production Systems - Methods and Examples for Quantification and Transformation between Different Forms of Energy. 
  Published in: Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology, Proceedings of the International Conference on LCA in Foods Gothenburg, Gothenburg 26-27 April 2001, SIK-Document No. 143, pp. 99 - 104, Gothenburg 2001
• J. Borken, A. Patyk, G. A. Reinhardt: 
  Basisdaten für ökologische Bilanzierungen: Einsatz von Nutzfahrzeugen in Transport, Landwirtschaft und Bergbau (Basic Data for Life Cycle Assessments: Use of Commercial Vehicles in Transport, Agriculture and Mining, in German). 
  Verlag Vieweg, Braunschweig/Wiesbaden, 1999

Contact

Guido Reinhardt (06221/4767-31; guido.reinhardt(at)ifeu.de)