Rio Tinto has announced the launch of seed farms in Australia to investigate the viability of Pongamia seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel. The mining giant has partnered with Midway, a local woodfiber processor, to manage the planting and maintenance of these farms.
Pongamia, a tree native to Australia, produces seeds that can be processed into renewable diesel, which has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to fossil fuels. Rio Tinto is in the process of acquiring approximately 3,000 hectares of cleared land in Queensland for this pilot project, which aims to assess whether Pongamia seed oil can fulfill the company’s renewable diesel requirements.
Jonathon McCarthy, Rio Tinto’s chief decarbonisation officer, stated that while the company is focused on electrification as a long-term solution to reduce diesel usage, the Pongamia seed initiative represents a crucial alternative pathway to lessen diesel dependency in the medium term. Additionally, the company is exploring biofuels in areas where electrification may not be practical.