Israeli scientists develop method to produce fuel from olive waste

Israeli researchers have discovered a method to turn the waste generated by olive oil production into fuel used by vehicles, the news website Ynet published on Friday.

During the olive oil production process, of every 1,000 kg of olives squeezed in the olive press, only 200 kg of olive oil are produced, reports Xinhua news agency.

The rest becomes solid waste. About 6 million tonnes of olive waste are produced every year worldwide, of which about 30,000 tonnes are in Israel.

The new study, led by the University of Haifa in northern Israel and financed by the state’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, shows a technique that will enable the transformation of solid waste into ethanol.

Several kinds of engines are fuelled with ethanol. Even a regular gasoline engine can operate normally with up to 10 percent ethanol.

One of the advantages of using biofuels, such as bioethanol, is to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, whose reserves are decreasing, and the use of which generates extensive emissions of greenhouse gas such as carbon dioxide.