Tunisian engineer Yassine Khelifi has established Bioheat, a workshop that transforms olive pomace into eco-friendly heating briquettes, providing a sustainable energy alternative in a country reliant on imports. By converting organic waste into valuable resources, Khelifi addresses environmental concerns and energy needs while reducing deforestation. Bioheat exports a significant portion of its production and has garnered positive feedback from clients. Khelifi aims to make a significant impact on Tunisia’s energy landscape and promote clean energy solutions.
Nestled among olive groves, the workshop of Tunisian engineer Yassine Khelifi buzzes with activity as machinery roars to life, converting olive pomace into eco-friendly heating briquettes. This innovative solution offers a sustainable alternative to wood, addressing the energy needs of a nation that heavily relies on imported gas and oil.
“We’re turning discarded organic waste into both energy and profit,” shares Yassine Khelifi, the 36-year-old visionary and founder of Bioheat, which was established in 2022 in the village of Sanhaja, near Manouba in northwest Tunisia.
Displaying remnants of ‘fitoura’—a compressed blend of olive pomace including skins, pulp, and pit fragments—Khelifi takes pride in his ability to “transform something deemed worthless into a valuable resource.”
On that particular morning, trucks delivered pomace to the workshop, where it was molded into cylindrical briquettes. These briquettes are then sun-dried for 30 days and prepared for distribution to clients.
Historically, ‘fitoura’ has been utilized in Tunisia for various purposes, such as fueling fires in hammams and bakeries, serving as a cooking supplement, and even as animal feed. Unfortunately, a significant portion of this olive press waste often ends up polluting the environment.
As one of the leading olive oil producers globally, Tunisia is expected to produce around 340,000 tons of olive oil for the 2024/2025 season, generating nearly double that amount in ‘fitoura’ waste—approximately 600,000 tons this year alone.
Growing up in Khelifi’s countryside, he often observed local workers utilizing ‘fitoura’. “I was always curious about how this material could burn for such a long time,” he recalls.
This curiosity eventually sparked his ambition to “convert it into energy” to help “reduce firewood consumption in a country grappling with deforestation and climate change.”
Initially starting a business in 2015 selling stoves, Khelifi soon faced a wood shortage. By 2018, he explored options across Tunisia and Europe for machinery to convert pomace into briquettes but found none that met his needs.
Determined, he took matters into his own hands, spending four years experimenting with various engines and components.
Eventually, he succeeded in creating briquettes with only 8% residual moisture—about half that of traditional firewood—resulting in significantly lower CO2 emissions.
A Growing Business
Now, Bioheat employs approximately ten individuals and serves a diverse clientele in Tunisia, including restaurants, hotels, and underheated schools in the colder northwest regions.
However, a substantial 60% of their production—600 tons this year—is exported to markets in France and Canada.
Selim Sahli, a guesthouse owner near Nabeul, shares his satisfaction with the switch from wood to briquettes this winter: “It’s a clean, user-friendly energy source, and financially, I’ve cut my heating expenses by a third.”
Ahmed Harrar, who runs a pizzeria in the suburbs of Tunis, highlights additional benefits: the low-moisture briquettes emit less smoke than wood, much to the delight of his neighbors, and “the fitoura adds a unique flavor to the pizza.”
Noureddine Nasr, a former expert from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) focused on agricultural and rural development, emphasizes the importance of effectively utilizing pomace. He believes it “contributes to environmental protection, job creation, and wealth generation.”
Such initiatives, he states, should be “encouraged” as they help alleviate energy dependency for a nation facing significant budget deficits.
Tunisia relies on imports for over 60% of its fuel and gas requirements, putting immense pressure on the national budget, which is currently indebted at about 80% of its GDP.
In launching his start-up, Yassine Khelifi encountered numerous challenges, including difficulties in securing funding due to “high bank interest rates,” leading him to seek support from personal networks.
Yet, his aspirations remain strong. He envisions Bioheat becoming a pivotal player in Tunisia’s transition to clean energy—and potentially making a global impact as well.