Exploring the energy potential of agricultural and agroindustrial residues in michoacán: characterization to determine the feasibility of solid biofuels

• Production of five types of agricultural residues in Michoacán was evaluated. • Physicochemical and energy characterization of agricultural residues was conducted. • The potential energy available associated with the waste was estimated. • A map of available energy from waste was created. • The potential for generating biofuels from waste was determined. This research presents an analysis of the energy potential of 5 agricultural crop residues in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, considering their possible use as solid biofuels. This study consists of five phases: (a) Identification of agricultural areas and collection of residues of each of the crops, Persea americana Mill. (avocado) , Saccharum officinarum L . (sugarcane) , Lens culinaris Medik. (lentil) , Zea mays L . (corn) and Mangifera indica L (mango); (b) processing of the residues for characterization; (c) physicochemical characterization of the collected residues using characterization techniques such as CHONS, polymeric compound composition, FTIR, ash microanalysis and calorific value, in addition to the proximate analysis of the residues by obtaining the moisture, ash, volatiles and fixed carbon contents; (d) determination of the energy potential (TJ/year); (e) dissemination of results. The results of this research show values for the crops analyzed in terms of ash contents lower than 10%, percentages of volatile matter higher than 70%, while fixed carbon values were lower than 21%, elemental analysis showed results for carbon higher than 40%, lower than 7% for hydrogen, higher than 47% for oxygen and for nitrogen lower than 2%, in terms of polymeric compounds showed values higher than 12% for cellulose, values higher than 8% for hemicellulose, and regarding lignin, values above 5% were reported. The calorific value values were estimated between 15. MJ/kg and 19.8 MJ/kg, with energy potential values that could, in their minimum production, eventually satisfy the energy demand for cooking of 30% of the rural sector of the state