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Circular transformation of olive stones to barbecue briquettes
Last updated: Mar 21, 2023
Summary
Our small family-owned business, for more than 50 years, uses locally available crushed olive stones (called exhausted olive pomace) as a carbon-neutral fuel, that are fired with crushed limestone to produce quicklime (calcium oxide), an important chemical with many agricultural, construction and environmental applications. The partially-combusted olive stones remaining in the kiln, are then collected and compacted in moulds to create a slow-burning barbecue briquettes. Also, leftover ash from the burning of these briquettes can also been used as a fertilizer or soil enhancer.
Problem
Energy demand is growing while the planet is heating up. The resolution of that apparent contradictory challenge lies in greater energy efficiency and an increase in renewable supply. The renewable sector has doubled in output between 2008 - 2019, but still only provides about 11% of total global energy demand. The further expansion should include consideration of carbon-neutral bioenergy fuels, such as the potential that lies in agricultural residues. Also, by destroying the forests, human activities like the production of wood charcoal are putting entire ecosystems in danger, creating natural imbalances.
Solution
We manage to recover energy from the by-products of locally grown olive trees and offer a carbon-neutral fuel alternative for industrial processes and in addition we create a new by-product which is replacing wood charcoal.
Outcome
The by-product of olive oil production (called exhausted olive pomace) has a high calorific value. Recovering this energy, in particular from the olive stones has great potential as a carbon-neutral alternative, replace some of the environmentally damaging production of wood charcoal, much of which is illegal.
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Date added: Mar 21, 2023
Last updated: Mar 21, 2023
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