Olive oil power plant for Andalucia

A PROTOTYPE power plant fueled by olive oil waste in Granada has proved so successful that plans for a new plant have been launched.

The EU-funded two-year pilot project – named BIOGAS2PEM-FC – at San Isidro de Loja converts toxic olive oil waste into heat and electricity while protecting the environment from harmful toxins.

The new permanent power plant, that is currently being developed, will reduce the amount of harmful acidic, saline, pesticide-heavy waste that is usually disposed of in ‘sludge pits’.

The clean three-step process used at the plant produces energy with a harmless byproduct.

Although only creating 1KW of power at this stage, the Swedish researchers behind the project confirmed the priority was to find a ‘useful solution’ for the waste.

With Spain producing half of the world’s olive oil and 73% of that amount coming from Andalucia, environmental considerations are paramount in this sector.