Energy applications of olive-oil industry by-products: — I. The exhaust foot cake

The energy characteristics of the exhaust foot cake (EFC) from the olive-oil extraction industry are described in this paper. This biomass has proved to be an interesting energy source. The use of this solid-waste as a combustible in brick manufacture is economically profitable: 1100 tons of EFC yearly substitute 420 EOT of No. 2 heavy fuel containing 4% of sulphur. The use of this solid-waste as an energy source is environment friendly, as it reduces the nuisance of solid-waste and gas emissions to the atmosphere, particulary sulphur oxides.