Emergy and Energy in Agricultural Production Systems: Conceptual Basis
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Abstract
Thermodynamics is crucial for understanding and optimizing agricultural and livestock processes, especially in resource use like solar energy, water, and nutrients. The concepts of emergy and exergy are fundamental for assessing energy efficiency and sustainability. Emergy measures the energy of one type used to generate another energy flow, tracking the system's energy "memory." Exergy quantifies the maximum obtainable useful work, reflecting energy quality. Emergy is an ecological-thermodynamic methodology that environmentally values energy, mass, and money flows, quantifying renewable, non-renewable, and market-derived resources. It allows visualizing and calculating flows, determining indices, and facilitating an integrated balance of economy, society, and the environment. Given the increasing demand for livestock products, quantifying energy in quantity, quality, and origin is vital for improving sustainability. This article reviews the theory and application of emergy and exergy in the agricultural sector, analyzing case studies that demonstrate their potential to evaluate and improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
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