Evaluation of energy use efficiency for greenhouse cucumber production in Barka, Oman

Sustainable agricultural production can be assessed through energy-use efficiency (EUE). This paper aims to evaluate the EUE for cucumber greenhouse production in Oman. Data were obtained through face to face interview with farmers. Results indicated that total energy inputs (e.g. electricity, water, fertilizers and chemicals) and total energy output (cucumber yield) were 1171.637 GJ ha^-1 and 89.943 GJ ha^-1, respectively. The highest energy input in the greenhouse production was electricity, consuming 88% of total energy input. Electricity had the highest impact in cucumber greenhouse production and 99% of this electricity goes to cooling the greenhouse. When all energy inputs were classified into their different forms; direct (D) and indirect (ID), and renewable (R) and non-renewable (NR), the highest portion of total energy forms in greenhouse cucumber production was for D and NR energy. The EUE and energy productivity (EP) were found to be 0.08 and 0.10 ton GJ^-1, respectively. The energy use in greenhouse cucumber production was found to be inefficient and solar energy needs to be considered to improve the sustainable cucumber greenhouse production in Oman.