**5. Conclusions**

As for the higher calorific value of loquat seed (17.205 MJ/kg), it is observed that it is lower than that of other standardized solid biofuels such as almond shells or olive stones. However, if we compare it with other industrial wastes such as wheat straw or pistachio shell, it is shown to have similar values, which demonstrates the energy potential of this residual biomass.

The use of loquat seed as an energy source has several advantages over other alternatives in the fight against climate change and local pollution that should be highlighted:



The five main countries that would reduce their annual CO2 emissions by using loquat seeds as biofuel are: China (51,184.92 tn), Spain (10,617.54 tn), Turkey (3454.98 tn), Pakistan (3275.83 tn), and Japan (2621.95 tn). In addition, the annual worldwide reduction of CO2 emissions if loquat seed is used as biofuel would be 76,363.80 tn.

The sensitivity analysis showed that the variable most sensitive is the fuel cost of base case, and the variables with minimum impact in this analysis are debt interest rate, debt ratio and debt term that have very small e ffects and can be ignored their uncertainty.

Financial analysis determined that the project has viability, the IRR (20.6%) is higher than European central bank interest rate (0.25%), and the B-C ratio shows that benefits are 25.1 times higher than costs.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M.; methodology, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M.; formal analysis, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M.; investigation, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M.; resources, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M.; writing—original draft preparation, M.-A.P.-M., F.M.-A., Q.H.-E. & A.-J.P.-M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research received no external funding.

**Acknowledgments:** This research has been supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities at the University of Almeria under the programme "Proyectos de I+D de Generacion de Conocimiento" of the national programme for the generation of scientific and technological knowledge and strengthening of the R+D+I system with gran<sup>t</sup> number PGC2018-098813- B-C33.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
