Development of a high-speed anaerobic digestion system of olive oil production by-products (OLIVENERGY)
Aim of the project
Olive oil production process has as by-product liquid waste.This agricultural activity is of particular social and economic importance for the Region of Western Greece. Huge amounts of waste are produced every olive growing season and combined with their characteristics make olive mill liquid waste an intractable problem as it is dangerous for its direct disposal into the environment. OLIVENERGY's goal was to bring to the market an integrated olive mill waste management system, with the aim of energy and environmental utilization. The by-products of olive oil production can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels, to partially cover the energy needs of olive mills or kernel oil mills, in the context of the circular economy. At the same time, the proposed technology creates new soil strengthening products, such as compost.
Pilot Plan Implementation
The development of a high-speed anaerobic digestion system of the by-products of olive oil production was implemented, to produce biofuels to partially cover the energy needs of the olive mill or kernel oil mill in which the unit will be installed. In the context of the project, physicochemical methods of removing solids from both the raw material and the effluent of the anaerobic unit were also studied. The solids were used along with other agricultural waste to produce compost.
Project Partners
The implementing bodies of the project were the company Green Technologies Ltd based in Patras (www.green-technologies.gr), and the University of Patras, Department of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technology based in Patras (www.lbeet.gr).
With the beginning of the 2019 olive growing season, on Friday 25/10/2019 in Patras, took place the kickoff meeting of the project partners in the framework of the "Integrated Energy and Environmental Utilization of Olive Oil Production By-products - OLIVENERGY" project. The meeting was attended by representatives from both partners and more specifically: from the company Green Technologies Ltd, Dr. Nantia Zafeiri (Civil Engineer - Administrator) and Dr. Dimitris Zaglis (Chemical Engineer), from the University of Patras, Dr. Michael Kornaros (Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering), Dr. Panagiota Tsafrakidou (Chemist, Department of Chemical Engineering) as well as members of the Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technology laboratory.
The coordinator of the project was the company Green Technologies Ltd.
The project was joined in April 2019 and was implemented within the framework of the Action "Strengthening research development & innovation projects in priority areas of RIS3" and is co-financed by the European Union and national resources through the EP. WESTERN GREECE 2014-2020 (project code: MIS 5045458).