OLIVE POMACE

At Smallops, we have developed a technology that allows us to valorize both vegetable water and olive pomace. Thanks to our technology, we are able to valorise olive waste by transforming it into iron nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon, called OPS. OPS have a high potential to be used in different environmental applications. In addition to nanoparticles, our technology enables the production of biogas exclusively from these olive waste.

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Spain is the world's leading producer and exporter of olive oil, with an area dedicated to olives of approximately 2.5 million hectares. For this reason the olive pomace and vegetable water treatment it is key in the oil generation process.

WHAT IS OLIVE POMACE AND VEGETABLE WATER

The olive pomace is a by-product of the production of oil in the mill obtained in the process of centrifuging the olives. Its composition is given by parts of the olive but also with traces of its oil. It has a more solid part call olive pomace and another part that is somewhat more liquid that is the vegetable water. Its properties include a high water content of 56%. It also has a PH of 5.4 and acid. Organic matter is also the protagonist since it rises with 91%.

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE MANAGEMENT OF OLIVE POMACE?

The Pomace oil producers are in charge of valuing all the by-products generated in the oil mills. 

These are based on the commercialization of crude pomace oil and biomass; olive stone and mainly pomace.

The current capacity of the olive pomace reception ponds, in constant adaptation and growth, and jointly of the 63 olive pomace processing plants, would be 6.3 million tons. In such locations, the alperujo is received uninterruptedly during the 4 months of the olive oil production campaign.

It is evident that the processing of olive pomace is an important link in the value chain of the olive oil sector, as it allows to value the by-products of the process, which otherwise would entail a cost for the oil mills and a damage the environment.

Recent data

"According ANEO (National Association of Olive Pomace Oil Companies), the average production of olives in Spain is 6.6 million tons, of which 1.4 million tons of oil are withdrawn, resulting in a total of slightly less than 6.0 million tons of wet olive pomace on average per campaign, a volume very similar to the reception, drying and extraction capacity of the olive pomace transformation sector, which is 6.3 million tons. In other words, simply in average terms, the olive pomace treatment sector does not have excess capacity to be able to process all the product provided by the field, and extracted in the oil mills.

PRODUCTION
This fact occurred in an accentuated way, in the 18/19 campaign, the largest in history for Spain, where just over 10.5 million tons of olive pomace were generated, remaining unprocessed, passing from one campaign to another, a total of 3.3 million tons that are being transformed during the current campaign.”

On the other hand, the national average production of pomace (degreased and dried olive pomace) is 1.3 million tons per campaign, its commercialization is a fundamental pillar for the profitability of the orujeras. The study of the Value Chain of the olive oil sector carried out by the Department of agriculture, it was established that 40% of the income of the pomace oil producer corresponded to the sale of the "orujillo". In the 2011/2012 campaign, the price of orujillo was €45/tonne at the factory outlet, while in the 2017/2018 campaign and in the past, 2018/2019, the price of "orujillo" at the factory outlet was between €12‐15/tonne.

HOW TO TREAT OLIVE POMACE AND VEGETABLE WATER WITH A NEW CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY METHOD?

Thanks to Smallops it will be possible to deal with this overproduction of olive pomace, being able to treat more quantity in addition to generating new lines of income that help to continue sustaining the profitability of the pomace oil producer.

On the one hand, it will be possible to get rid of that vegetable water that currently accumulates, giving the waste a second life by creating OPS through the use of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) techniques. And, on the other hand, make use of these nanoparticles for the generation of biogas from olive pomace exclusively.

In this way, at Smallops we fight against climate change; producing green energy and a sustainable product, very innovative and with high added value, from the olive pomace and vegetable water.

And all based on a zero waste circular bioeconomy model!

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES 

POMACE OIL PRODUCERS -
OLIVE MILLS

Solve the problem of accumulation of olive pomace giving a recurring exit to the residue through an innovative method.

Thanks to our technology, we are able to produce biogas exclusively from olive pomace and vegetable water, without the need to use other substrates.

The use of olive pomance with the addition of OPS it will allow transforming what is currently a cost in management into savings in operational costs.

The adition of OPS in the process, it will allow, on the one hand, an increase in production, obtaining a greater quantity and quality of energy for the operation of the machinery and/or injection into the electrical network. On the other hand, they would favor the plant towards the establishment of biogas as a reliable energy source. All this because the production of biogas would be more constant and homogeneous, as well as being of higher quality and maximizing its production.

INNOVATION IN THE TREATMENT OF OLIVE POMACE AND VEGETABLE WATER

INNOVACIÓN EN EL TRATAMIENTO DE ALPERUJO Y ALPECHÍN​​

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