Evaluation of environmental efficiency of energy consumption in the agricultural sector of Iran based on a DEA Model

The aims of this study are investigation of consumption, intensity and efficiency of fossil fuels and electricity energy in Iran's agriculture sector and emission of GHG and air pollutants and their social (damage) costs. This paper proposes a methodology to measure the environment efficiency of farms based on the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. Data used were obtained from ministry of energy and central bank of Iran in 1997- 2012. Results show that the efficiency of using of fuels and electricity has not increased and increasing of social costs of GHG and air pollutants emission has been more than added value of agriculture sector. So, it is necessary that by increasing of technology level and replacement of age-old and depreciated machineries and equipment, appropriate management and increasing efficiency of fuel and electricity energy in macro level will cause decreasing negative effects of energy consumption.