From the production of agricultural lime to summer barbecues, olive pits make a perfect circular fuel

KLIMIS
Type of organisation or company
Country
Greece
City
Kalamata
Language for original content
Key Area
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Scope
Submitted by
Makios Athanasios
Start/End date
Ongoing
Yes
Description

Since its establishment in 1968, KLIMIS has been using the woody part of Greek olive pits as heating fuel for its kiln in order to bake lime stones, and produce lime pulp (putty lime) for use in building construction and lime powder (quick lime) for use in agriculture.

The woody part of olive pits (a by-product from pomace factories) is a solid and sustainable biomass fuel, and therefore a renewable energy source derived from the process of collecting olive oil. KLIMIS compresses olive pits either in an oval shape to create briquettes or in a polygonal shape to create logs(with a hole along their axes) suitable for stoves, wood boilers, pyrolisis boilers and fireplaces. They are 100% natural products, free from chemicals and have a high heating power of 5153kcal/kg.

1992, after lengthy experiments, KLIMIS has also been collecting the black powder produced by the incomplete combustion of the woody part of olive pits in the kiln to create (EU-patented) barbecue briquettes which do not emit odours, or produce smoke or sparkles. They are easy to light up, free from chemicals, have a high heating power of 6366 kcal/kg, and emit 30% less carbon monoxide than wood charcoal.

Main activity field
Main results
  • Efficient use of natural resources without interfering with the life-cycle of olive trees.
  • Upcycling of combustion products.
  • Barbecue briquettes which emit 30% less carbon monoxide than wood charcoal.
  • With its barbecue briquettes, KLIMIS is runner up for the European Business Awards for the Environment 2018-2019.
  • KLIMIS is winner of EU EMAS Awards 2014 & 2009 and nominee of EU EMAS Awards 2010.