## 1 Introduction  
Evidence of contemporary tendencies in the exploitation, production, and use of renewable energy sources have fostered a great interest in processes for diversifying energy generation worldwide to reduce dependence on fossil fuels [1; 2; 3]. The inevitable exhaustion of conventional fuels has convinced people of the need for a broad energy transition in light, of the obligation to address the issues that contribute to global climate change [4]. However, any such energy transition must also promote the integration of policies that link social justice and economic equality with sustainable energy sources capable of satisfying the energy needs of all humanity in order, to ensure a sustainable future [5; 6], and decrease greenhouse gas emissions [7]. This will require investing in technological innovation to generate alternative energy sources, processes, and approaches to foment the democratization of energy [8]. The generation of energy from renewable sources is increasing yearly in many countries [3], along with the optimization of materials in various processes [9; 10]. While Mexico is not an exception, the existing national energy system is still based on fossil fuels that supply over 60% of primary energy, while the figure for renewable energy is still below 20%, a proportion quite similar to the global energy matrix [6; 11; 12]. It is important to emphasize that developing countries like Mexico maintain a strong dependence on biomass in their matrix of energy consumption in the residential sector, largely due to its local availability and economic affordability [11]. However, biomass is a renewable energy source investigated much recently [13]. The biomass consumed by Mexico's residential sector comes from locally-available species of trees and bushes, while resources from aquatic bodies have rarely been explored even though they constitute an interesting field of study, as in our ongoing research. Energy sources derived from biomass generally come from lignocellulosic materials with great potential, but these have been explored only incipiently [14], while studies of other kinds of bioenergy alternatives have been increasing in frequency. To give one example, solid industrial material in the form of lignocellulosic residues are a massive source of carbohydrates and lignins that exceeds \(2\times 10^{11}\) t/year worldwide [15]. A recent study in Mexico examined the feasibility of exploiting timber residues to produce briquettes using accessible mechanisms with low environmental impact. This material has been used in cooking by residential sectors in rural communities, demonstrating that the production of solid biofuels can provide an alternative energy source with low environmental impact [16; 17]. In this regard, exploring resources and/or residues with bioenergy potential will confer added value, contribute to generating sustainable energy sources, and help construct affordable scenarios for energy security at the local level. The pelagic _Sargassum_ that has invaded the Mexican Caribbean coastline since 2014 is composed mainly of the _S. fuitans_ and _S. natans_ species [18]. During the peak month (September) of the event in 2015, the average volume of _Sargassum_ spp. that arrived to the northern sector of this region was estimated to be \(\sim\)\(2.4\times 10^{3}\) m\({}^{3}\) per kilometer of beach [19]. Massive volumes of beachcast _Sargassum_ spp. were also recorded on this coast in 2018, 2019 and 2020 [18]. The massive influx of _Sargassum_ spp. is considered an ecological plague that has adverse impacts on coastal ecosystems, fishing, and the tourist industry, which is the base of the economy in the region [20]. These algae, however, could be an energy resource with high potential for exploitation in, for example, biogas and fertilizer production [21; 22; 23]. Our study analyzes the potential for energy exploitation of the _Sargassum_ spp. that has reached the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean in recent years.