Decision-making computationally aided in the management of energy sources used in agrifood industries

Abstract In an increasingly competitive society with an unfavourable economic environment, it is necessary for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to update themselves, thereby increasing their efficiency. Companies increasingly use computational tools to support the development of predictive scenarios in order to facilitate decision-making. However, the tools developed for SMEs are not always expedite and simple to use. The tool presented in this article intends to support the management of energy sources used by agro-industrial companies. It aims to facilitate and promote the implementation of a new culture of business management, in this sector so important at national level. The computational part is directed to support the decision-making on the selection of fossil or renewable energy sources to be used in a particular agroindustry, by presenting the average values of the energy consumption, cost and emissions associated with each selected energy source.