Cogeneration plant in an olive sludge industry

Spain is the world’s main producer of olive oil, with an annual production approaching 1 million tons. A great amount of wet residues are generated – mainly sludge, thus favouring the development of energy plants for their treatment and/or elimination. Such installations require a simultaneous electric and thermal energy demand, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems might be the most adequate in certain cases. The economic viability of a CHP system in a sludge processing plant (sludge obtained from olive oil extraction industry) is analysed in the present work. Special attention is paid to the analysis and discussion of energy savings and environmental benefits.