ENERGY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK FOR GROUNDWATER USE IN AGRICULTURE

Changes in energy subsidies for Indian agriculture and the introduction of a carbon tax in Australia have the potential to impact on energy use practices in groundwater-irrigated agriculture in both countries. A general framework for the accounting of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and life cycle energy consumption from groundwater-irrigated agriculture was developed using life cycle and supply chain analyses to examine the contributing aspects of groundwater irrigation to total associated greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. The framework then formed the basis of a greenhouse gas emission and energy accounting model that was simulated for the groundwater- dependent agricultural areas of the Musi catchment in India and the south-east region of South Australia. The region in South Australia was found to be emitting around twice the greenhouse gas of the Indian region per unit volume of water delivered, while emissions associated with operating electricity powered water pumps contributed more than 99.8% of modelled emissions in the south-east of South Australia and over 99.1% of emissions in the Musi catchment. Diesel powered water pump irrigation systems emitted the least total amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit volume of water supplied, compared to grid electricity and diesel generator powered submersible water pump options. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.