What question did this study set out to answer?

Assess the feasibility of using agave bagasse as a solid biofuel alternative to firewood in distillation.

February 16, 2026Open Access

Diagnosis of the Solid Biofuel Process from Agave Bagasse Through Arena Simulation

Key Points

Assess the feasibility of using agave bagasse as a solid biofuel alternative to firewood in distillation.
Utilized Arena discrete-event simulation to model the biofuel process.
Evaluated stages including drying, grinding, briquetting, and distillation.
Conducted sensitivity analyses to identify main constraints in the process.
Achieved up to 30% reduction in firewood consumption.
Highlighted solar drying as the main process constraint.
Promoted principles of circular bioeconomy and sustainable rural energy.

Abstract

In Mexico, mezcal production relies heavily on firewood, consuming up to 246 m3 per artisanal batch and producing approximately 2.4 t of bagasse for every 6 t of fermented Agave. This residue, with a calorific value of ≈19.4 MJ/kg, is a promising alternative to solid biofuels. Using a discrete-event simulation in Arena™ (version 16.20.09), the substitution of firewood with processed bagasse briquettes was evaluated at a distillery in the region of Tecamachalco. The model included drying, grinding, briquetting, and distillation, analyzing yield, resource use, and bottlenecks. Sensitivity analyses identified solar drying as the main constraint. The results show a reduction of up to ~30% in firewood consumption, promoting the principles of the circular bioeconomy and sustainable rural energy transition.

Diagnosis of the Solid Biofuel Process from Agave Bagasse Through Arena Simulation

Key Points

Abstract

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