Amid rising focus on sustainability and the circular economy in North American and global markets, Aceitunas Cazorla, an Alicante-based supplier for major chains including Carrefour and Lidl, is pursuing an innovative approach to waste from brine: extracting methane and hydrogen gas while aligning with environmental goals. The initiative is a collaborative effort with the Valencia Innovation Agency (AVI), the Ainia Technology Center, and the Ceramics Technology Institute (ITC). Together, they are advancing a project that not only treats waste more responsibly but also offers a path to lower environmental risk for communities dealing with brine waste.
Traditional brine management frequently relies on large open ponds to accelerate evaporation, a method that can demand substantial energy, especially in colder or drier climates. In open-pond setups, the expansive surface areas must be waterproof and subject to frequent checks to prevent leaks into aquifers. This method also carries land-use implications and long-term maintenance costs that can strain operations and local resources.
Against these drawbacks, the Green Brine project aims to redefine waste treatment by achieving cleaner discharges with reduced salinity and by transforming organic matter and dissolved salts into useful products and energy vectors, including biogas, biomethane, and biohydrogen. Backed by Aceitunas Cazorla and supported by AVI, the initiative recently secured a 490,000 euro grant in the latest round of funding. The effort represents a strategic move to turn a challenging waste stream into a source of value, aligning with broader goals in industry and public policy to minimize environmental impact while maintaining economic viability.
Alicean operations span more than six decades, with Aceitunas Cazorla producing a wide array of olive products—anchovy paste-stuffed olives, lemon varieties, natural pepper varieties, seedless options, and various sauces. The company also serves as a white-label producer for Carrefour and Lidl. Current data place its annual turnover near 150 million euros. Gumer Marín, the project lead at Aceitunas Cazorla, describes the Green Brine approach as a comprehensive recovery of different brine streams generated during preservation and packaging activities through integrated, environmentally conscious systems that minimize costs while delivering practical industrial benefits.
To reach these ambitious goals, the Green Brine partners plan to blend multiple technical processes that can improve outcomes over time. Jorge García, director of product technologies and processes at Ainia, notes that the brine effluents will pass through a filtration stage to recover cellulosic materials and polyphenols that could hold value for other sectors. In parallel, bioelectrochemical systems will apply bacteria-laden fuel cells to convert residual organic content into energy-forward products.
The potential applications are practical and varied. Polyphenols could find a home as additives in cosmetics, while other components such as soda or acids may be repurposed by pickle manufacturers and integrated as energy carriers for machines and boilers. The overarching aim is clear: contribute to a meaningful improvement in sustainability and promote a circular economy by turning waste into resource streams.
On the materials side, the Ceramics Technology Institute is advancing the development of clay-based membranes to filter saline water. These membranes promise lower costs and greater durability compared with traditional polymer-based alternatives, which can translate into more scalable and resilient treatment solutions for brine streams.
The Green Brine consortium brings together Aceitunas Cazorla’s industrial experience in the olive and pickle sectors, ITC’s materials and ceramic processing expertise, and Ainia’s deep know-how in electrochemical systems for the integrated water cycle and residual liquid treatment. While the initiative started with a specific sub-sector focus, its framework has the potential to be adapted for other industries that generate similar brine waste, including water utility operators and plastic washing or recycling facilities.