IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i12p3091-d1677125.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment of the Potential for Biogas Production in Post-Conflict Rural Areas in Colombia Using Cocoa Residues

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Burgos-Arcos

    (School of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba 060150, Ecuador
    Department of Chemistry and Process and Resource Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain)

  • Diana M. Caicedo-Concha

    (Engineering Research Institute (In3), Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Cali 111321, Colombia)

  • Alberto Coz

    (Department of Chemistry and Process and Resource Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain)

  • Tamara Llano

    (Department of Chemistry and Process and Resource Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain)

  • Juan Carlos Colmenares-Quintero

    (Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
    Fundacion BERSTIC-Science, Technology Innovation & Culture Network, Carrera 79 # 36–32, Medellín 050025, Colombia)

  • Ramón Fernando Colmenares-Quintero

    (Fundacion BERSTIC-Science, Technology Innovation & Culture Network, Carrera 79 # 36–32, Medellín 050025, Colombia
    Engineering Research Institute (In3), Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín 050025, Colombia)

Abstract

This paper studies the potential of utilizing cocoa residues to address energy demands in post-conflict regions of Colombia. Through a systematic review, the findings indicate that cocoa byproducts from 170 municipalities could produce enough biogas to power a population nearing one million inhabitants. Three main residues can be obtained from processing cocoa—mucilage, cocoa bean shells, and cocoa pod husks—which are analyzed and recognized as the most significant in terms of potential biogas yield. The review highlights a considerable gap in existing research regarding the specific characteristics of cocoa residues and their biogas production rates. Additionally, this study emphasizes the need to investigate pretreatment methods for these materials, particularly cocoa pod husks, as well as the critical impact of transportation logistics. It also suggests exploring integrated valorization strategies and various energy conversion pathways. Finally, the article emphasizes the importance of establishing markets and promoting new initiatives to effectively utilize this abundant amount of waste. The insights gained from this analysis are relevant to similar regions, not only across South America but also in any cocoa-producing area worldwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Burgos-Arcos & Diana M. Caicedo-Concha & Alberto Coz & Tamara Llano & Juan Carlos Colmenares-Quintero & Ramón Fernando Colmenares-Quintero, 2025. "Assessment of the Potential for Biogas Production in Post-Conflict Rural Areas in Colombia Using Cocoa Residues," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:12:p:3091-:d:1677125
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3091/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3091/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marcin Pawel Jarzebski & Abubakari Ahmed & Yaw Agyeman Boafo & Boubacar Siddighi Balde & Linda Chinangwa & Osamu Saito & Graham Maltitz & Alexandros Gasparatos, 2020. "Food security impacts of industrial crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the impact mechanisms," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(1), pages 105-135, February.
    2. Huang, Xianlei & Wang, Shu & Shi, Zuliang & Fang, Linna & Yin, Changbin, 2022. "Challenges and strategies for biogas production in the circular agricultural waste utilization model: A case study in rural China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    3. Salcedo-Puerto, Orlando & Mendoza-Martinez, Clara & Vakkilainen, Esa, 2025. "Solid residues from cocoa production chain: Assessment of thermochemical valorization routes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yiping Jiang & Yalan Cheng & Kunru Li & Xiaoling Fu & Shuyi Feng & Baoai Xu, 2024. "Analysis of livestock manure utilization in planting and breeding supply chain with organic preference," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(6), pages 14295-14326, June.
    2. Ni, Ji-Qin, 2024. "A review of household and industrial anaerobic digestion in Asia: Biogas development and safety incidents," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    3. Ishmael Hashmiu & Faizal Adams & Seth Etuah & Jonathan Quaye, 2024. "Food-cash crop diversification and farm household welfare in the Forest-Savannah Transition Zone of Ghana," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(2), pages 487-509, April.
    4. Jianli Luo & Minmin Huang & Yanhu Bai, 2024. "Promoting green development of agriculture based on low-carbon policies and green preferences: an evolutionary game analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 6443-6470, March.
    5. Liu, Xiaomin & Wu, Qingbai & Li, Jinping & Li, Fada & Li, Rui & Novakovic, Vojislav, 2025. "Research of innovative distributed polygeneration system in a low-carbon community in Northwest China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    6. Ebunoluwa O. Ajagun & George Ashiagbor & Winston A. Asante & Benjamin A. Gyampoh & Kwasi A. Obirikorang & Emmanuel Acheampong, 2022. "Cocoa eats the food: expansion of cocoa into food croplands in the Juabeso District, Ghana," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(2), pages 451-470, April.
    7. Wang, Yi-Jia & Wang, Qi & Wang, Naihui, 2023. "The role of rationality and altruism in rural households' acceptance of straw energy utilization: Evidence from Northeast China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    8. Babakhani, Ebrahim & Rostamian, Reza & Goudarzi, Mostafa, 2023. "The Effects of Biofuels on Food Security in Selected Countries," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 15(4), December.
    9. Shiqing Qian & Luming Chen & Sunqiang Xu & Cai Zeng & Xueqi Lian & Zitong Xia & Jintuo Zou, 2025. "Research on Methane-Rich Biogas Production Technology by Anaerobic Digestion Under Carbon Neutrality: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-30, February.
    10. Yuan Xu & Guangrui Wang & Shuo Yang & Mingqiang Liu & Qingsong Wang & Shu Tian & Yujie Zhang & Yue Xu & Xueliang Yuan & Qiao Ma & Haichao Ma & Huibin Zhang, 2023. "How to further develop the integrated planting and breeding mode: A case study of the western region of Shandong Province," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 3128-3143, August.
    11. Gasparatos, A. & Mudombi, S. & Balde, B.S. & von Maltitz, G.P. & Johnson, F.X. & Romeu-Dalmau, C. & Jumbe, C. & Ochieng, C. & Luhanga, D. & Nyambane, A. & Rossignoli, C. & Jarzebski, M.P. & Dam Lam, R, 2022. "Local food security impacts of biofuel crop production in southern Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    12. Hashmiu, Ishmael & Agbenyega, Olivia & Dawoe, Evans, 2022. "Determinants of crop choice decisions under risk: A case study on the revival of cocoa farming in the Forest-Savannah transition zone of Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    13. Orou Sannou, Ramoudane & Guenther, Edeltraud, 2025. "Exploring the resource nexus between forest-based land restoration and food security: The case of the African great green wall initiative countries," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:12:p:3091-:d:1677125. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.