Quintana Roo Turns Sargassum Into Biogas, Attracts Investors

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — During the morning press conference held by President Claudia Sheinbaum at the Chetumal Naval Air Base, Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama announced the state’s launch of the country’s first pilot plant to produce biogas from sargassum and wastewater treatment sludge. Though still in the testing phase, the project has already drawn international investment interest for its potential industrialization.

A Sustainable Solution for Sargassum

Governor Lezama explained that the plant, developed with a state investment of 40 million pesos, underwent 14 months of trials confirming the feasibility of converting both materials into biogas through digestion, gasification, and biomass boiler processes.

"We are ready to take the next step and scale this model to an industrial level. This demonstrates that in Quintana Roo, we can turn an environmental challenge into an economic opportunity and a benefit for our people," she stated.

Lezama noted that private capital funds from the Netherlands, such as Dotch Clean Tech, have expressed interest in investing in the project’s next phase. The initiative is part of a broader financing plan of up to $1 billion for waste valorization infrastructure.

"This is a sustainable solution for managing sargassum and organic waste, protecting our environment while generating benefits for Quintana Roo’s residents," she emphasized.

Sargassum Containment and Disposal Efforts

The governor highlighted sargassum as one of the state’s major environmental challenges due to its ecological and tourism impacts. However, she assured that her administration has implemented clear, coordinated strategies for its timely management.

"We are a government that does not improvise. Today, we have over 9.5 kilometers of anti-sargassum barriers and, in collaboration with the Navy, operate 11 coastal sargassum vessels, one transoceanic vessel, and 22 smaller boats, with four more shallow-water vessels soon to arrive," she said.

These efforts have led to the collection and disposal of more than 60,000 metric tons of the macroalgae so far this year, positioning Quintana Roo as the state investing the most in understanding sargassum’s impact and potential uses.

"We are the only state in Mexico with a Sargassum Monitoring Center using satellite technology, in coordination with the European Space Agency. This allows us to predict its arrival and volume in advance, along with a monitoring system indicating which beaches are clear and which have sargassum presence," Lezama explained.

Economic Opportunities from Sargassum

The governor noted that sargassum is now classified as a fishery product, and the state government is collaborating with businesses, scientists, academics, and federal authorities to develop up to 140 derivative products.

"In Quintana Roo, we do not see the environment as an obstacle but as a circular pathway. Protecting it means safeguarding tourism, jobs, health, and the future of our children. And let me be clear: sargassum is not present every day or on every beach," she affirmed.

The pilot plant represents a significant step in transforming an environmental nuisance into a resource, aligning with the state’s broader sustainability and economic development goals.