Assessing energy and environmental impacts of Turkish-style tea brewing: efficiency, consumption, and carbon footprint
2025
Oktay Zorlu | Bedirhan Güneşdoğmuş | Sefa Sözer | Selman Akaslan | Batuhan Göçen | İlker Dikmen | Ümit Ünver
Abstract Energy efficiency in food preparation is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of sustainability. Despite tea being one of the most consumed beverages worldwide, research on the energy efficiency of its brewing process—particularly at the household level—remains limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating the energy cost, efficiency, and environmental footprint of Turkish-style tea brewing, a method characterized by its unique double teapot system and prolonged steeping process. Experimental tests were conducted on a standard kitchen stove using three burner sizes and varying flame modes. Energy efficiency, analyzed using the First Law of Thermodynamics, ranged from 31% to 70%, with specific energy consumption between 0.53 and 0.93 kJ/kg. Results reveal a trade-off between energy efficiency and brewing time, highlighting the need for optimized techniques to reduce energy waste. Given the massive global tea consumption, this study provides valuable insights for future research on sustainable and energy-efficient food preparation practices.
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