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In Tunisia, green start-ups are developing more and more thanks to young people who are betting on renewable energies. With her start-up Bioheat, Yassine Khelifi creates fuel sticks made from olive pomace, to replace wood.
From our correspondent in Tunis,
When he was a child, Yassine often saw women farmers preparing tabouna bread, a traditional round bread, with a fire made from waste olives harvested from the olive groves. From this natural method, he drew an idea for a start-up with a machine he designed on the family farm on the outskirts of Tunis. It compresses the pomace waste and the pulp to make a log.
It took the entrepreneur four years to turn an idea into a finished object. Yassine Khelifi had first thought of importing existing machines, but the particular composition of pomace made their use impossible. ” Internationally, they make the briquette from sawdust, biomass… It’s not the same composition as pomace and pulp “, he explains.
The briquettes that come out of the machine have a moisture content between 40 and 50%. Yassine then has to dry them in the sun for almost a month so that they become combustible. The manufacturing process is entirely organic and artisanal. Briquettes emit less CO2 than wood when burned and are cheaper
A product that also appeals in Europe
« The production capacity of the machine is estimated at 1 000 tons per year. Today, we are just at 10% of the production capacity and this is due to the lack of drying surface, says Yassine. This is why we are on a fundraising line to reach the capacity of 1,000 tonnes. »
The demand for this energy is strong, especially with the stakes around gas linked to the war in Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia. In the room where he packs his sticks for his customers, Yassine is already planning to be able to export some one day. ” In the summer season, we work a lot with restaurateurs who use wood fires. Our product is very cost effective compared to wood or gas. We have large orders and many contacts in France, Belgium, Switzerland, mainly in Europe. »
Nearly forty customers, which it intends to increase once its production capacity is reached.
1 comment
Interesting concept and product. Pls forward your contact number and email address, as we are interested in the product. Thank you.