Spanish scientists at the universities of Jaen and Granada have developed a method of making biofuel from the stones of olives, a scientific journal has reported.
The technique has the advantage of not using crops or land that would otherwise be used for food, the Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology wrote in their most recent issue.
Every year four million tonnes of olive stones are produced as waste in foodstuff preparation, which could be used for fuel with the new method.
“The low cost of export and processing costs for olive stones make them an attractive feedstock for the production of biofuel,” said Sebastian Sanchez, a researcher involved with the project.
From 100 kilogrammes of olive stones, 5.7 kilogrammes of ethyl alcohol can be produced.
The researcher clarified that in comparison with other biofuel feedstock, the production of fuel from olive stones would have a relatively light impact on land and forestry use. Sanchez said that if it were possible to devise a use for every form of agricultural waste as for olive stones, great energy- savings benefits would be achieved.