Dear Dr. Namdari,

Please submit your revised manuscript by Apr 26 2025 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at plosone@plos.org . When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

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We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Morteza Taki, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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1. Please ensure that your manuscript meets PLOS ONE's style requirements, including those for file naming. The PLOS ONE style templates can be found at

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2. In your Methods section, please provide additional information regarding the permits you obtained for the work. Please ensure you have included the full name of the authority that approved the field site access and, if no permits were required, a brief statement explaining why.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

Reviewer #1: Partly

Reviewer #2: Partly

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: I Don't Know

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Reviewer #1: What are the key environmental indicators evaluated in the study using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology?

How does the Environmental Composite Index (ECI) of diesel-powered well water extraction systems compare to grid-connected electricity systems?

What percentage higher environmental burden is associated with grid electricity systems compared to diesel-powered systems?

What are the primary drivers of environmental impacts in grid-connected electricity systems according to the study?

Which environmental impact categories do grid electricity systems exhibit higher impacts in compared to diesel systems?

In which impact categories do diesel systems demonstrate greater impacts compared to grid electricity systems?

How do local and technical factors, such as energy source composition and power plant efficiency, influence environmental outcomes in well water extraction systems?

Revise the text by native English editor

What strategies for environmental mitigation are suggested by the study to reduce the impacts of well water extraction systems?

The below references can be used in the introduction section to improve it:

Guo, H., Li, Y., Zhao, B., Guo, Y., Xie, Z., Morina, A.,... Lu, X. (2024). Transient lubrication of floating bush coupled with dynamics and kinematics of cam-roller in fuel supply mechanism of diesel engine. Physics of Fluids, 36(12), 123103. doi: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0232226

Chen, L., Cui, B., Zhang, C., Hu, X., Wang, Y., Li, G.,... Liu, L. (2024). Impacts of Fuel Stage Ratio on the Morphological and Nanostructural Characteristics of Soot Emissions from a Twin Annular Premixing Swirler Combustor. Environmental Science & Technology, 58(24), 10558-10566. doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c03478

Chen, L., Cao, Y., Hu, X., Zhang, B., Chen, X., Cui, B.,... Xu, Z. (2025). Raman spectral optimization for soot particles: A comparative analysis of fitting models and machine learning enhanced characterization in combustion systems. Building and Environment, 271, 112600. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112600

Qiu, Z., Chen, R., Gan, X., & Wu, C. (2024). Torsional damper design for diesel engine: theory and application. Physica Scripta, 99(12), 125214. doi: 10.1088/1402-4896/ad8af8

Zhang, Z., Bu, Y., Wu, H., Wu, L., & Cui, L. (2023). Parametric study of the effects of clump weights on the performance of a novel wind-wave hybrid system. Renewable Energy, 219(Part 1), 119464. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.119464

Reviewer #2: 1. Introduction & Literature Review

The introduction should better contextualize the study within recent global trends in renewable energy adoption for irrigation (e.g., solar/wind). Expand the literature review to include studies from regions with similar energy grids (e.g., Middle East) to strengthen the rationale for comparing diesel and grid electricity in Iran. I recommend to apply the below reference in this section:

Yao, Y., Sheng, H., Luo, Y., He, M., Li, X., Zhang, H., ... & An, L. (2014). Optimization of anaerobic co-digestion of Solidago canadensis L. biomass and cattle slurry. Energy, 78, 122-127.

Yao, Y., Bergeron, A. D., & Davaritouchaee, M. (2018). Methane recovery from anaerobic digestion of urea-pretreated wheat straw. Renewable energy, 115, 139-148.

Deng, Y., Qiu, L., Shao, Y., & Yao, Y. (2019). Process modeling and optimization of anaerobic Co-digestion of peanut hulls and swine manure using response surface methodology. Energy & Fuels, 33(11), 11021-11033.

Qiu, L., Deng, Y. F., Wang, F., Davaritouchaee, M., & Yao, Y. Q. (2019). A review on biochar-mediated anaerobic digestion with enhanced methane recovery. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 115, 109373.

Wu, H., Li, A., Zhang, H., Li, S., Yang, C., Lv, H., & Yao, Y. (2024). Microbial mechanisms for higher hydrogen production in anaerobic digestion at constant temperature versus gradient heating. Microbiome, 12(1), 170.

Zhang, Y., Xu, L., Wang, J., Pan, H., Dou, M., Teng, Y., ... & Wang, M. (2024). Bagasse-based porous flower-like MoS2/carbon composites for efficient microwave absorption. Carbon Letters, 1-16.

Yang, Z. Q., & Zhu, H. L. (2023). Study on the effect of carbon nanotubes on the microstructure and anti-carbonation properties of cement-based materials. Journal of Functional Materials, 54(08), 8217-8227.

2. Methodology: LCA Approach & Data Representativeness

Clarify why the CML methodology and SimaPro software were chosen over other LCA frameworks (e.g., ReCiPe). Justify the sample size (100 wells) and geographic distribution (Tehran, Hamadan, etc.) to ensure representativeness. Address potential biases in data collection (e.g., self-reported diesel use vs. metered electricity).

3. System Boundaries & Energy Mix Assumptions

Explicitly define system boundaries for both scenarios (e.g., inclusion/exclusion of transmission losses, pump maintenance). Discuss how Iran’s electricity grid composition (94% fossil fuels, per Table 8) was modeled, and sensitivity analysis for varying energy mixes (e.g., renewables) should be included.

4. Results Presentation & Figure Clarity

Revise Figures 5–11 for clarity (e.g., label axes, simplify color schemes). Ensure consistency in units (e.g., nPt vs. kg CO₂-eq) and provide error bars/uncertainty ranges for impact categories. Highlight key drivers (e.g., marine ecotoxicity in diesel systems) in figure captions.

5. Interpretation of Key Findings

Strengthen the discussion of why diesel outperforms grid electricity in Iran (e.g., direct energy conversion vs. grid inefficiencies). Compare results with studies in similar contexts (e.g., Pradeleix et al. 2015 for Tunisia) and explain discrepancies (e.g., El-Gafy & El-Bably 2016 for Egypt).

6. Limitations & Future Research

Expand the limitations section to address:

• Lack of renewable energy systems in the analysis.

• Assumptions about pump efficiency (e.g., outdated diesel engines).

• Geographic specificity of Iran’s grid. Suggest future studies on hybrid systems (e.g., solar-diesel).

7. Conclusion Overgeneralization

Revise the conclusion to emphasize that the diesel advantage is context-specific to Iran’s fossil-reliant grid. Avoid implying universal applicability; instead, frame recommendations for regions with similar energy profiles.

8. Renewable Energy Integration

Discuss policy implications for transitioning to renewables (e.g., solar pumps) given Iran’s high solar potential. Reference studies like Guno (2024) and Terang & Baruah (2023) to support this.

9. Language & Technical Precision

Proofread for grammatical errors (e.g., "electricity system’s" vs. "electricity systems"). Use consistent terminology (e.g., "abiotic depletion" vs. "resource depletion") and define acronyms (e.g., ECI, FU) at first use.

10. Title & Keyword Specificity

Revise the title to reflect Iran’s context and key findings: “Comparative LCA of Diesel and Grid Electricity for Irrigation in Iran: Why Diesel Outperforms in Fossil-Reliant Grids.”

Add keywords like “Iran,” “groundwater pumping,” and “renewable energy transition.”

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what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

**********

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Dear Dr. Namdari,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

Please submit your revised manuscript by May 29 2025 11:59PM. If you will need more time than this to complete your revisions, please reply to this message or contact the journal office at plosone@plos.org . When you're ready to submit your revision, log on to https://www.editorialmanager.com/pone/ and select the 'Submissions Needing Revision' folder to locate your manuscript file.

• A rebuttal letter that responds to each point raised by the academic editor and reviewer(s). You should upload this letter as a separate file labeled 'Response to Reviewers'.
• A marked-up copy of your manuscript that highlights changes made to the original version. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Revised Manuscript with Track Changes'.
• An unmarked version of your revised paper without tracked changes. You should upload this as a separate file labeled 'Manuscript'.

If applicable, we recommend that you deposit your laboratory protocols in protocols.io to enhance the reproducibility of your results. Protocols.io assigns your protocol its own identifier (DOI) so that it can be cited independently in the future. For instructions see: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/submission-guidelines#loc-laboratory-protocols . Additionally, PLOS ONE offers an option for publishing peer-reviewed Lab Protocol articles, which describe protocols hosted on protocols.io. Read more information on sharing protocols at https://plos.org/protocols?utm_medium=editorial-email&utm_source=authorletters&utm_campaign=protocols .

We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Morteza Taki, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Journal Requirements:

Please review your reference list to ensure that it is complete and correct. If you have cited papers that have been retracted, please include the rationale for doing so in the manuscript text, or remove these references and replace them with relevant current references. Any changes to the reference list should be mentioned in the rebuttal letter that accompanies your revised manuscript. If you need to cite a retracted article, indicate the article’s retracted status in the References list and also include a citation and full reference for the retraction notice.

Additional Editor Comments:

Dear Dr Namdari

The reviewers have generally accepted your paper, but it requires some minor revisions. Please review the comments and make the necessary edits to the paper.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

**********

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Partly

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

Reviewer #1: Dear author

I have no comment. All my comments were addressed and the paper can be accepted in the present form.

Congratulation

Reviewer #2: The paper is suitable rather than the first version, but it needs some minor revision in the introduction section. I think the below papers can help you to improve this section and point out the innovation:

Yu, Z., Zhao, J., Markov, V., & Han, D. (2024). Effects of hydrogen addition on ignition characteristics and engine performance of ammonia-hydrogen blended fuel: A kinetic analysis. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 87, 722-735.

Yao, Y., & Chen, S. (2016). A novel and simple approach to the good process performance of methane recovery from lignocellulosic biomass alone. Biotechnology for biofuels, 9, 1-9.

Yao, Y., Luo, Y., Yang, Y., Sheng, H., Li, X., Li, T., ... & An, L. (2014). Water free anaerobic co-digestion of vegetable processing waste with cattle slurry for methane production at high total solid content. Energy, 74, 309-313.

Yang, Z. Q., Hou, K. P., & Guo, T. T. (2011). Study on the effects of different water-cement ratios on the flow pattern properties of cement grouts. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 71, 1264-1267.

Gao, J., Wu, Y., & Shen, T. (2017). On-line statistical combustion phase optimization and control of SI gasoline engines. Applied Thermal Engineering, 112, 1396-1407.

I evaluated the reference section and found that ‘Zhang, Y., Xu, L., Wang, J., Pan, H., Dou, M., Teng, Y., ... & Wang, M. (2024). Bagasse-based porous flower-like MoS2/carbon composites for efficient microwave absorption. Carbon Letters, 1-16’ is in the reference section, but you wrote ‘Zhang et al, 2025’ in the text. Correct it to ‘Zhang et al, 2024’.

Use some more results in abstract section and improve it, so the readers can find total needed information.

T the paper can be accepted after the above correction.

**********

what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

**********

[NOTE: If reviewer comments were submitted as an attachment file, they will be attached to this email and accessible via the submission site. Please log into your account, locate the manuscript record, and check for the action link "View Attachments". If this link does not appear, there are no attachment files.]

While revising your submission, please upload your figure files to the Preflight Analysis and Conversion Engine (PACE) digital diagnostic tool, https://pacev2.apexcovantage.com/ . PACE helps ensure that figures meet PLOS requirements. To use PACE, you must first register as a user. Registration is free. Then, login and navigate to the UPLOAD tab, where you will find detailed instructions on how to use the tool. If you encounter any issues or have any questions when using PACE, please email PLOS at figures@plos.org

Comparative LCA of diesel and grid electricity for agricultural irrigation in Iran: why diesel outperforms in fossil-reliant grids

PONE-D-25-10261R2

Dear Dr. Namdari,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Morteza Taki, Ph.D

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Dr Namdari

I evaluated the paper. I think all the comments were addressed and the paper can be accepted in the present form.