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

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.