Emergy synthesis of a combined food and energy production system compared to a conventional wheat (Triticum aestivum) production system

► The CFE outputs were grain, straw, fodder and woodchip production of 4020, 3580, 6100 and 10,000 kg/ha/yr respectively. ► The conventional wheat produced 7250 and 3770 kg grain and straw/ha/yr, 81.8% lower than CFE. ► CFE system was 13.5 times more emergy efficient compared to the conventional wheat. ► Fertiliser and chemical inputs in conventional wheat constituted 64.5% of the total emergy input. ► Local renewable emergy in CFE constituted 19.2% of total emergy input whereas it was only 2.6% in conventional wheat.