The increasing depletion of fossil fuel resources and the growing environmental pollution associated with their utilization highlight the urgent necessity of transitioning toward clean and sustainable energy systems. Among renewable sources, biomass is considered a promising alternative due to its ability to simultaneously generate electricity and heat through Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technologies. In this context, agricultural residues, as abundant and underutilized bio mass resources, offer considerable potential for bioenergy production. This study aims to assess the bioenergy potential of field and orchard crop residues in Ilam Province, Iran. The results indicate that Ilam Province possesses substantial potential for biomass energy generation, primarily due to its diverse agricultural production and large residue volumes. Based on crop yield data, wheat, barley and watermelon were identified as the major field crops, while grape, pome granate, and olive represented the main orchard crops contributing to biomass availability and energy generation. The theoretical biomass potential from field and orchard residues was estimated at 719,190 tons, corresponding to 11,867,588 GJ of theoretical and 2,142,754 GJ of recoverable energy potential. CHP analysis demonstrated that these residues could annually produce approximately 232,963 MWh of electricity and 272,975 MWh of heat. The estimated gross Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with bioenergy production were about 121,214 tons of CO₂ and 121,361 tons CO₂-eq per year. When compared against fossil fuel baselines, net CO₂ reduction ranges from approximately 62,163 to 96,255 tons annually for field crop residues. The findings reveal that Ilam Province, owing to its favorable climatic conditions, extensive cultivation area, and substantial agricultural residue production, holds a strong potential for the development of biomass-to-energy technologies and can play a vital role in advancing regional sustainable energy strategies.
