Hydrogen-Centred Process Framework for the Integrated Valorisation of Livestock and Fisheries Residues with Biochar-Based Soil Regeneration in Coastal Regions

Coastal regions concentrate livestock and fisheries activities that generate large volumes of organic residues, often managed inadequately and contributing to nutrient loading, soil degradation, and marine pollution. At the same time, these territories face increasing pressure to decarbonise energy systems and restore degraded soils under climate change. This article proposes a process-oriented conceptual framework for the integrated valorisation of livestock and fisheries residues through hydrogen-centred energy recovery and biochar-based soil regeneration, with a focus on coastal regions of Colombia. The framework integrates biological and thermochemical conversion pathways, including anaerobic digestion, fermentation, gasification, and pyrolysis, within a unified system boundary that treats organic residues as secondary resources rather than environmental burdens. Hydrogen is conceptualised as a short-term energy carrier, while biochar is positioned as a key co-product enabling long-term carbon stabilisation and soil regeneration. By explicitly integrating material and energy flows, territorial scale considerations, and governance dimensions, the proposed framework provides a process-level basis for designing decentralised residue-to-energy and soil-regeneration systems capable of delivering simultaneous benefits in renewable energy supply, waste management, soil restoration, and climate mitigation in environmentally vulnerable coastal regions.