🫒 Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality in the Olive Oil Sector: A Sustainable Future for a National Treasure
The olive oil sector is one of the pillars of Portugal’s agri-food industry—not only for its economic value, but also for its cultural and environmental significance. As demand for sustainable products increases and the energy transition becomes more urgent, decarbonizing the olive oil value chain has become a strategic priority.
The Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality in the Olive Oil Sector, promoted by Casa do Azeite and AEMITEQ, is a project financed by the European Union through Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). It is scheduled for completion in July 2024. This initiative is aligned with the national goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and focuses on the North, Centre, and Alentejo regions—where most of the country’s olive oil is produced.
🎯 Project Objectives
Sector Characterization
Analysis of the olive oil sector’s carbon footprint, identifying critical points and opportunities for improvement.
Sustainable Technological Solutions
Integration of technologies to improve energy efficiency, valorize by-products, and incorporate renewable energy sources.
Business Empowerment
Support for companies in the sector to implement low-carbon practices across the entire value chain.
Support Tools
Creation of a digital platform for monitoring, evaluation, and support of the sector’s decarbonization efforts.
🔋 Concrete Measures for Decarbonization
♻️ By-Product Valorization
- Olive pomace used as biomass for thermal energy or transformed into natural fertilizer.
- Wastewater (olive mill effluent): Treatment and reuse in agricultural applications, reducing water pollution.
☀️ Adoption of Renewable Energy
- Installation of photovoltaic systems and biomass units to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
- Specific implementation in olive oil mills, which are energy-intensive facilities.
⚙️ Process Efficiency
- Modernization of mills with more efficient equipment.
- Optimization of water use during the washing and extraction stages.
🌱 Sustainable Agricultural Practices
- Regenerative agriculture to sequester carbon in the soil.
- Reduction in the use of synthetic chemicals, replacing them with ecological alternatives.
🧠 Training and Education
- Workshops and technical training for producers.
- Development of certifications and guidelines for low-carbon practices, enhancing the product’s value in global markets.
⚠️ Key Challenges
- High initial costs for technological upgrades.
- Inefficient waste management of both solid and liquid by-products.
- Raising awareness and cultural shift among producers and industry stakeholders.
🌍 Expected Impacts
✅ Significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
✅ Increased efficiency in production and resource use
✅ Enhanced positioning of Portuguese olive oil as a premium and sustainable product
✅ Decreased contamination of soil and water
📧 Have a project that can help reach Net Zero by 2050?
Contact us: comercial@theventurebuilder.pt