This study analyzed the effect of three levels of drip irrigation in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) production in the Middle Anatolian region of Turkey. Two deficit irrigation treatments 75% and 50% of measured soil water depletion were compared with a full irrigation control treatment. In this paper, root yield, NEY (net energy yield), EEP (efficiency of energy production) and EWUE (energy water use efficiency) were investigated. Energy consumption of irrigation was found to be about 60% of total energy input in sugar beet production under full and deficit irrigation treatments. It was found that sugar beet had the highest EEP value (6.29) under the partial deficit irrigation (representing 75% of full irrigation). However, it was observed that full and severe deficit irrigation (representing 50% of full irrigation) treatments had a lower value. Results of this study indicated that the partial deficit drip irrigation technique can be applied in sugar beet production. In practice, deficit irrigation technique can reduce irrigation water use up to 25% compared to full irrigation technique. In addition, partial deficit drip irrigation technique may save 11.2% of total energy inputs, 16.1% of irrigation energy inputs, 21.2% of total fuel use and 25% of fuel use in irrigation. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.