Assessing different valorization pathways of peach prunings in Velventos, Western Macedonia

The present work presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of two distinct exploitation routes for peach pruning residues, densification into briquettes or direct bioelectricity generation, in Velventos, a key agricultural region in Western Macedonia, Greece. The study integrates experimental synthesis and combustion analysis of peach pruning briquettes with a macro-scale feasibility assessment. Laboratory-scale trials evaluated the combustion behavior of as-synthesized peach pruning briquettes, while System Advisor Model software was used to estimate bioelectricity generation. The levelized cost for briquette production and electricity generation was also determined. Results showed that peach pruning briquettes exhibit a lower heating value of ∼17 MJ/kg with reduced CO emissions compared to conventional biomass fuels. The production cost of briquetting was 186.4 €/t for large-scale production and 323.2 €/t for smaller-scale operations, highlighting economies of scale. Meanwhile, the levelized cost of electricity from a 265-kW el bioelectricity plant was 125.5 €/MWh, whereas sensitivity analysis emphasized the role of CAPEX subsidies and operational cost variations in financial viability. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential of peach pruning residues as a sustainable energy source and provide key insights into decentralized biomass valorization. • Techno-economic assessment of peach prunings for briquetting and bioelectricity applications. • Briquetting cost estimated at 186.4–323.2 €/t, demonstrating strong economies of scale. • Levelized cost of electricity calculated at 125.5 €/MWh for a 265-kW biomass plant. • CAPEX support and OPEX variation shown to strongly influence financial viability.