A group of young researchers from BUAP has made a splash by presenting an innovative system for converting farm waste in useful energy sources. This project, driven by students from the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the Master of Science in Renewable Energies at ICUAP, managed to win the Hackathon for Love of Puebla 2026, surpassing 17 other teams in the agriculture discipline.
The initiative, called Mechanical Reaction, arises as a response to the stressful production costs that farmers face, especially regarding fuel for machinery. The goal is for producers to be less dependent on external supplies, and instead generate their own resources through sustainable and accessible technology.
Reactor operation and biogas production
The heart of the project is a pilot reactor manufactured entirely with recycled componentsThis device processes organic matter, such as crop residue or cow manure, although it is essential not to mix them to avoid interfering with the bacteria's work. Depending on the container's temperature, a biological process is activated that leads to the biogas production and a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer that helps plants grow better.
The most interesting thing is that this biogas doesn't just stay there, but is used as a heat source. By combining it with vegetable oils used for fryingA chemical reaction is triggered that produces biodiesel. This solves the problem of the high energy costs that often hinder the production of conventional biofuels, making the process... much more economical and viable.
Impact on the agricultural sector and circular economy
For farmers, the cost of diesel fuel for plowing the land or operating water pumps is a financial black hole that sometimes causes them to do not recover the investment from their harvests. With this hybrid reactor, producers can manufacture the fuel needed for their tractors using their own waste, which represents a direct and significant savings in their daily lives.
The team, made up of José Luis Minor Portillo, Roberto Ángeles Marcelino Zárate, Luis Ángel Hernández Gutiérrez and Nicolás González Gamero, has focused on a model of community managementThe idea is that these reactors are not just individual, but function as local nodes to implement a real circular economywhere nothing is wasted and everything is transformed into added value for the rural community.
This advance demonstrates that applying academic knowledge to real-world problems can open doors to solutions that have not been exploited Until now. By integrating biogas heat production to generate biodiesel, the barrier of high energy prices is eliminated, allowing the green fuel to be within reach of any small producer.
The proposal awarded by the Government of Puebla manages to integrate biological science with energy engineering to mitigate economic hardship from the countryside. Thanks to the use of agro-industrial waste and reused materials, a system has been designed capable of generating clean energy, fertilizers and biofuels, thus closing the production cycle in a sustainable and efficient.
