Assessing bioenergy sustainability through integrated environmental, social, and techno-economic dimensions María E. Raygoza-Limón* [1] , Gabriel Trujillo-Hernández [2] , José Alejandro Amezquita Garcia [3] , Abelardo Mercado-Herrera [2] , Jesús Heriberto Orduño Osuna [4] , Fabian N. Murrieta-Rico* [2]

https://www.academia.edu/2998-3665/3/1/10.20935/AcadEnergy8138 Introduction: Bioenergy stands as a dispatchable pillar of the renewable energy mix, yet its sustainability remains contested due to assessments that often isolate environmental, social, and economic–policy, or technological dimensions. This study develops and applies an integrated evaluation framework that jointly considers life cycle impacts, social outcomes, techno-economic feasibility, governance conditions, and technological maturity, with the objective of capturing the synergies and trade-offs that determine bioenergy’s real-world sustainability. Materials and methods: Using a structured evidence synthesis approach, we systematically screened, harmonized, and compared peer-reviewed LCAs, S-LCAs, techno-economic analyses, and institutional reports published between 2010 and 2025. Results: The findings confirm that bioenergy can deliver substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, with waste- and residue-based systems consistently outperforming crop-based fuels. Biogas and biomethane from wastes reduce emissions by over 85%, while sugarcane ethanol achieves ~78% reductions with favorable energy returns. In contrast, corn ethanol shows weaker performance (~35% reductions; EROI 1.5–2.5), largely affected by indirect land-use change and fertilizer-related emissions. Economically, biogas and biomethane are already cost-competitive (≈8–18 USD/GJ), whereas advanced sustainable aviation fuels, though capable of 60–90% abatements, still depend on stable policy support. Socially, bioenergy improves air quality and rural employment but risks land conflicts and labor vulnerabilities without safeguards. Technologically, integrated biorefineries enhance resilience, flexibility, and circularity when supported by market certainty and harmonized standards. Conclusions: Overall, bioenergy is conditionally sustainable: residue-based, circular, and well-governed portfolios can credibly underpin net-zero strategies delivering decarbonization, energy security, cleaner air, inclusive development, innovation, and long-term climate resilience while responsibly managing land and biodiversity trade-offs. https://www.academia.edu/journals/academia-green-energy/articles?source=journal-top-nav