The date palm—a symbol of Middle Eastern heritage—could now play a crucial role in the global transition to renewable energy. It is one of the most significant crops cultivated in arid regions; however, about 10% to 15% of total production—mainly low-grade dates and date seeds—go unused or discarded. 

Researchers say that date palm residues should be viewed as a resource rather than waste, especially as clean energy alternatives.

“Date-palm waste has a high carbon content, which gives it significant energy value, making it an efficient starting material for biofuel production,” says Dr. Muhammad Tawalbeh, an associate professor of sustainable and renewable energy engineering at the University of Sharjah.

Two promising biofuels can be derived from date palm waste: biodiesel from date pits and bioethanol from date fruit.

BIODIESEL FROM DATE PITS

Date pits contain between 7% and 10% oil, which can be extracted and converted into biodiesel, also known chemically as Fatty Acid Methyl Ester. This renewable energy source has potential applications in powering vehicles and machinery.

UAE-based sustainable fuels expert Karl W. Feilder highlights the feasibility of this approach but notes that extraction and conversion require cost-effective scaling. 

“For biofuels, dates are most useful—the date pit or stone, and the waste ripe fruit—although the fronds and other waste could be a biomass feedstock, albeit with a lower yield,” he says.

BIOETHANOL FROM DATE FRUIT

Meanwhile, waste dates—often those unsuitable for retail sale—are rich in fermentable sugars, making them ideal for bioethanol production.

“Quite a high proportion of dates do not meet the quality specification required for retail dates. These waste dates would probably be fully ripe, which contain a high sugar and carbohydrate quantity,” Feilder explains.

“While much of these may be converted into date juice and date syrup and then retailed, these waste dates may also be useful to produce a different type of biofuel. The sugars—glucose, sucrose, fructose—and remaining carbohydrates may be macerated, fermented using natural yeast, distilled, and then rectified into ethyl alcohol (ethanol). As it is made from waste products, such ethanol is usually described as bioethanol.”

According to Dr. Tawalbeh, around two-thirds of date palm waste consists of cellulose and hemicellulose, which can produce fermentable sugars for bioethanol production. 

Bioethanol is already widely used as a renewable alternative to gasoline and accounts for around 70% of global biofuel supply. In the European Union, it is commonly blended with petrol to reduce carbon emissions.

THE UAE’S OPPORTUNITY

The shift toward energy generation from renewable sources is a priority for oil-importing nations and oil-exporting countries.

“Currently, an estimated 105 million date palm trees stand worldwide, producing approximately 12 million metric tons of waste biomass annually. This represents one of the largest streams of lignocellulosic waste, which remains largely underutilized due to the lack of economically viable applications,” says Carlos Zygier, Chile-based sustainable hydrogen, ammonia, and energy storage solutions business ideas ignitor.

As the world’s leading producer of dates, the UAE is uniquely positioned to capitalize on date palm waste for biofuel production. With over 40 million date palm trees producing an estimated one million tons of date seeds annually, researchers from the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) have identified significant potential in utilizing this biomass.

According to a two-year study completed in 2020, 100,000 tons of oils from the UAE’s date seeds could be converted into biofuels. The remaining 900,000 tons could be used for energy generation through pyrolysis. The final waste could be repurposed as agricultural fertilizer.

“The UAE is perfectly suited to become a global leader in utilizing date palm waste for biofuel production due to its abundant date palm resources, a strong commitment to renewable energy, and investment in innovative technologies,” says Dr. Tawalbeh.

CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS

Despite its potential, transforming date palm waste into biofuel has several challenges. One major hurdle is the extraction process. Feilder points out that date pits are exceptionally hard and require costly chemical extraction methods using hexane, which can make the process financially unviable.

“The refining processes require high investments in pyrolysis and hydrolysis units, which are not widely available in the UAE,” says Dr. Tawalbeh. 

“Additionally, the market competition with fossil fuels, which remain relatively cheap compared to biofuels produced from date palm waste, makes it difficult for these biofuels to compete without government incentives.”

Another limitation is the low oil yield from date pits and waste compared to conventional biofuel feedstocks like soybeans or palm oil. Dr. Tawalbeh notes, “The energy output of date palm biofuels is lower than that of fossil fuels due to differences in energy density.”

For example, extracting one liter of oil requires about 10 kilograms of date pits. Moreover, logistical challenges in collecting, transporting, and processing large quantities of date palm waste further complicate the economic viability of these biofuels.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Despite these challenges, researchers maintain that date palm biofuels hold promise as a sustainable energy source. 

“To ensure the profitability of date palm biofuels at a medium-to-large scale, several factors must be addressed,” explains Zygier. “These include scaling up production capacity to achieve economies of scale; enhancing process cost efficiency to reduce operational expenses; and shifting from crop-based to non-crop feedstock—a critical decision for farmers weighing the benefits of growing biofuel feedstocks versus staple crops.”

He adds that it’s also crucial to consider valuable byproducts, such as xylene (a hydrocarbon used as a solvent in industry and medicine), to enhance overall profitability and extend the storage lifespan of biofuels to improve market stability. Most importantly, the industry needs to optimize biomass extraction—the primary bottleneck—by leveraging biotechnological advancements to boost production efficiency.

Although the UAE’s biofuel sector is still in its early stages, introducing the UAE’s National Policy on Biofuels, which aims to provide sustainable fuel alternatives, could catalyze change. 

“Companies should propose and fund date-palm waste collection and valorization programs and provide funding for researchers to allow more studies on date-palm waste utilization for biofuel production,” says Dr. Tawalbeh. He also advocates for greater investment in processing infrastructure, government incentives, and strengthened research collaborations between universities, industry, and policymakers.

As the world shifts towards cleaner energy, however, whether the UAE can turn this potential into reality will depend on overcoming economic and technological barriers in the years ahead.