Abstract
We estimated transportation amounts and energy consumptions during inter-prefecture grains distribution in both “actual condition” and “the least traffic situation” as a simulation result of network-transportation model, for the purpose of analyzing life cycle energy consumption in agro-product supply system. As a result, annual traffic volume in “the least traffic situation” is estimated at 1,556 million t-km·yr-1 which is 42% of that in “actual condition” (3,679 million t-km·yr-1). Amounts of annual energy consumption in “actual condition” and “the least traffic situation” are estimated at 6.34PJ·yr-1 and 3.10PJ·yr-1 respectively. The difference of 3.24PJ·yr-1 between the both energy consumptions estimated could indicate needless transportation in the grain supply system. It could be considered that energy consumption in transportation stage is strongly effect to life cycle energy consumption in grain supply system and optimized distribution in the stage shall be examined to improve the Eco-efficiency in the system.
