This study poses the following research question: Where and how can low- to medium-enthalpy geothermal resources in Northern México be harnessed to promote a territorially anchored, socially inclusive energy transition? Hence, the potential contribution of geothermal direct uses to sustainable local development in Sonora—one of México’s largest and most economically diverse states—is examined in this article. In Sonora, a semi-arid region with dispersed populations and underutilized geothermal resources, the research integrates spatial analysis and socio-territorial indicators to identify areas where geothermal direct uses can deliver inclusive development benefits. Thermal data of 88 thermal springs and 36 wellbores were examined, in which in situ temperatures and geothermal gradients were found from 30 to 80 °C and 20–200 °C/km, respectively. This resulted in a catalog of 28 direct uses based on the energy needs and demands of the population near the sites. Then, a composite methodological framework was developed that combined the Geothermal Suitability Index (GSI), the Socio-Productive Energy Demand Index (SPEDI), and the Territorial Vulnerability Index (TVI). These indices and the catalog were overlaid to detect municipalities where high geothermal potential, energy needs, and social vulnerability intersect. Results show that sites such as Bacadehuachi, Cajeme, and Fronteras offer high-priority opportunities for agri-food processing, aquaculture, and heating/cooling applications. The findings contribute to broader debates on rural energy access, energy justice, and decentralized planning, providing evidence-based guidance for policy design that aligns renewable energy deployment with regional equity and resilience goals.

Geothermal energy is an efficient alternative for convective drying of food. This research aimed to determine the efficiency of a low-temperature geothermal dryer (LTGE) system in dehydrating high-moisture foods and its effects on the kinetic parameters and properties of the dehydrated foods. This study used a prototype laboratory-scale geothermal dehydrator built at the Geothermal Laboratory of the Engineering Institute of UNAM. The influence of the geothermal dehydrator operating parameters- average temperature (60, 65, 70 °C) and airflow velocity (2.5, 3.0, 3.3 m/s) on moisture content kinetics, drying rate, moisture-effective diffusion coefficient (D(eff)), physicochemical properties, and drying efficiency was determined. The results indicated that mean temperature and airflow rate influenced the drying kinetics and properties of dried apples and mangoes. With increasing temperature and airflow velocity, the drying rate and effective diffusion coefficient increased. The drying curves were dominated by the period of decreasing rate, which is typical of the drying kinetics of biological materials under constant-temperature conditions. The increase in temperature and airflow velocity increased the effective diffusion coefficient and drying efficiency. The Deff ranged from 0.43–8.59 x 10(–9) m(2)/s for the dried apple samples and from 5.54–8.92 x 10(–9) m(2)/s for the dehydrated mango samples. Moisture content curves showed moisture contents below 10% at drying times similar to those achieved with a conventional convective dryer, demonstrating that geothermal energy can be used for fruit dehydration, producing high-quality dehydrated products and enabling efficient drying processes.