MELBOURNE, Australia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rio Tinto will develop Pongamia seed farms in Australia as a part of a brand new biofuels pilot. The mission will discover the potential of Pongamia seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel, a cleaner various to conventional fossil fuels.
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Rio Tinto (NYSE:) Chief Decarbonisation Officer Jonathon McCarthy flanked by Pongamia bushes. The Pongamia pilot will discover the potential of Pongamia seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel, a cleaner various to conventional fossil fuels.
The pilot goals to find out if Pongamia seed oil can contribute to Rio Tinto’s renewable diesel wants whereas probably contributing to the expansion of a brand new biofuel sector in Australia. Rio Tinto is within the last phases of buying roughly 3,000 hectares of cleared land close to Townsville in north Queensland to ascertain farms to check progress situations and measure seed oil yields.
Rio Tinto has partnered with Halfway Restricted, to supervise the planting and administration of the Pongamia seed farms. Halfway Restricted will interact with nurseries, agricultural consultants and analysis organisations all through the pilot, and prioritise alternatives for Conventional Homeowners and native communities.
As a part of its ongoing efforts to attain net-zero Scope 1 and a pair of carbon emissions by 2050, Rio Tinto is actively exploring the potential of biofuels within the low-carbon power combine. The corporate sees biofuels as an avenue to cut back reliance on fossil diesel, whereas fleet electrification applied sciences mature. Rio Tinto can also be investigating how biofuels might be utilized in eventualities the place electrification might face sensible limitations.
Rio Tinto Chief Decarbonisation Officer Jonathon McCarthy mentioned: Diesel accounts for round 10 % of our emissions footprint in Australia. Whereas we proceed to pursue electrification because the long-term resolution for displacing the vast majority of our diesel use, the Pongamia seed pilot is a vital parallel pathway that might cut back our reliance on diesel within the mid-term. It additionally presents a compelling possibility for different purposes which can be difficult to affect, together with blasting and non-haul tools.
Australia doesn’t but have a biofuel feedstock trade adequate to satisfy home demand. A sustainable biofuels trade right here may improve the area’s gasoline safety, create native financial alternatives, and contribute to emissions reductions targets. We’re excited in regards to the potential of the Pongamia seed pilot and sit up for partnering with Halfway Restricted and north Queensland communities.
Halfway Restricted Managing Director Tony McKenna mentioned: We’re very excited to be partnering with Rio Tinto on this revolutionary pilot mission. We’re proud to be enjoying an essential position in serving to develop a sustainable home biofuel trade.
The collaboration continues the expansion of our place as trusted suppliers with the aptitude and expertise to ship a wide range of initiatives for emitters who’re dedicated to in search of various options to cut back their internet emissions.
This pilot follows a smaller-scale trial at Rio Tinto Gove operations within the Northern Territory the place Pongamia saplings had been planted to be taught extra about their response to low soil high quality, warmth and different weather conditions in northern Australia.‹
About Pongamia
Pongamia (Millettia pinnata) is a legume tree native to Australia. It’s fast-growing, resilient and produces oil-rich seeds that may be processed into renewable diesel, which presents a big discount in life-cycle carbon emissions in comparison with fossil gasoline diesel. Pongamia seed could be harvested yearly, leaving the bushes and soil intact to retailer carbon dioxide. ‹
About Halfway Restricted
Based in 1980, Halfway Restricted is one among Australia’s largest woodfibre processors and exporters with a robust and rising carbon abatement administration enterprise. Halfway’s fibre is utilized in recyclable paper and packaging, plastic substitute merchandise. The Firm is constructing a carbon abatement growth and administration enterprise to generate carbon abatement and emissions offsets options utilising its experience within the trade.
Halfway has woodchip processing and exporting operations at 5 main port places in key forestry areas round Australia together with: Bell Bay, Tasmania; Portland and Geelong in Victoria; Brisbane, Queensland; and Melville Island within the Northern Territory’s Tiwi Islands.
Notice to editors
In 2023, Rio Tinto’s Boron, California operations grew to become the primary open pit mine on this planet to finish the total transition of its heavy equipment to renewable diesel. The corporate’s Kennecott operation in Utah will even change its fossil diesel consumption with renewable diesel in 2024.
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