Tunisian startup converts olive waste into sustainable energy

A Tunisian startup, Bioheat, is revolutionizing clean energy by repurposing olive waste into fuel for restaurants, schools, and guesthouses across Tunisia, AFP reports.

For generations, Tunisians have used olive residue for cooking, heating, and animal feed. Bioheat is now modernizing this practice, streamlining production, and making it a widely accessible alternative fuel source.

"I was always fascinated by how long this material could burn without extinguishing," Yassina Khelifi, Bioheat’s founder, told AFP. "That curiosity led me to ask: 'Why not harness it for energy?'"

An engineering student, Khelifi initially searched in Europe for machinery to convert olive paste into fuel but he returned empty-handed. Undeterred, he spent four years developing his own machine, capable of transforming the waste into briquettes with just eight percent moisture content.

These briquettes undergo a month-long drying process, either under the sun or in a greenhouse, before being packaged and distributed.

Selim Sahli, a 40-year-old guesthouse owner, has replaced traditional firewood with Khelifi’s briquettes for heating and cooking.

"This is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative," Sahli told the AFP. "It’s clean, easy to use, and has cut my heating expenses by a third."

Currently, Bioheat employs ten people and aims to produce 600 tonnes of briquettes by 2025.

Tunisia, one of the world’s top olive oil producers, is also heavily dependent on imported fuel, making it an ideal market for such innovation.

"Utilizing this waste can help protect the environment, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth," said agricultural and rural development expert Noureddine Nasr.

However, Khelifi’s ambitions extend beyond Tunisia. Around 60% of Bioheat’s production this year is destined for international markets, primarily Canada and France.