Tequila Companies in Mexico Hope to Transform Agave Plant Waste Into Fuel Sophie Hares - Thomson Reuters Foundation
go to original February 24, 2017

Ford has partnered with Jose Cuervo to test how the excess agave from producing tequila can get a second life as part of a Ford vehicle. (Ford Motor Company)

One of Mexico's most famous tequila companies, Herradura, hopes to turn into fuel the thousands of tonnes of waste it generates each year from the spiky blue agave plants used to make the spirit, and cut its energy bill, said its engineering director.

Herradura, Mexico's second-biggest tequila company behind Jose Cuervo, says that by drying out the 150 tonnes of fibrous agave waste it generates per day and turning it into biomass to fire up the huge boilers it uses to steam the plant, it could potentially generate 30 percent of the energy it needs.

"Simply, we have to squeeze out the water to recycle it and use it as a fuel," said Guillermo Rodelo, director of engineering at Herradura's plant in Amatitán, a few miles from the colonial town of Tequila in Jalisco state.

"We're trying to reduce our environmental impact and have sustainable processes," he said by telephone.

While finding machinery to dry and process the huge quantities of wet fibrous waste is tricky, Rodelo said the company hopes to have its system up and running within a year.

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