Implementation of an olive pomace oil extraction line equipped with a biomass boiler

BIOSEC is a Moroccan SME specialized in the extraction of olive pomace oil. Currently, the company has an olive pomace oil extraction unit in Meknes with a capacity of 40,000 tons per year of olive pomace, which processes olive pomace from various regions of Morocco.

In order to optimize the valorization of waste from the olive crushing process, BIOSEC has enlisted the technical assistance of the GEFF II facility to establish a new olive pomace oil extraction line, supplemented by the installation of a biomass boiler near the collection point (in the region of Béni Mellal) to avoid transporting dry olive pomace from the Béni Mellal region to Meknes.

After drying, the oil is chemically extracted using hexane. This process yields:

• Crude pomace oil, which, after refining, becomes edible and is called pomace oil.
• Spent pomace, which is a fuel with a lower calorific value (LCV) of 4,000 Kcal/kg, which is 2.3 times lower than the LCV of fuel No. 2.

For every batch of 100 tons of fresh pomace processed, the yield is 5 tons of oil, 60 tons of spent pomace, and 35 tons of water evaporated during the drying process.

This project has enabled BIOSEC to optimize its operations by installing an oil extraction line close to the harvest. After drying, the olive pomace loses 30% of its weight, thus facilitating the subsequent extraction process and significantly reducing not only transportation costs but also its carbon footprint.

Furthermore, this investment, funded under the GEFF II facility, results in an energy saving of 302 MWh of electricity, representing a 35% reduction compared to the old existing line in Meknes. Additionally, it substitutes 1,148 tons/year of fuel, equivalent to 100% of the biomass boiler’s consumption compared to a fuel boiler and saves 490,000 liters/year of diesel by avoiding the transportation of dried pomace. Consequently, the project also contributes to avoiding the emission of 5,363.6 tons of CO2 equivalent per year of greenhouse gases.

Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) in Morocco is a green economy financing program, implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will provide financing to Moroccan private enterprises through local financial institution partners. Supported by the European Union (EU), the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It will enable local companies to invest in green technologies, reduce their costs through climate adaptation measures, energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.