Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO) announced that it would invest in Pongamia seed farms in Australia to explore the possibility of using its seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel. RIO sees biofuels as an avenue to reduce the dependence on fossil diesel, which accounts for around 10% of its emissions footprint in Australia.
To achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2050, Rio Tinto has chosen electrification as the long-term solution for replacing the use of diesel in its fleet. While electrification is in progress, the company is looking at other quicker options to lower diesel-sourced emissions, such as biofuels.
Australia does not yet have a biofuel feedstock industry capable of meeting domestic demand. Rio Tinto expects that the pilot will play an important role in addressing this gap while supporting its journey to achieve decarbonization goals.
Rio Tinto Joins Forces With Midway for Pongamia Farm Trial
Pongamia is a fast-growing tree that is native to northern Australia. It produces large numbers of seeds, which are rich in oil and protein. The seeds can be processed into renewable diesel, which offers a significant reduction in carbon emissions compared with fossil fuel diesel.
After the extraction of oil, the seed pod and ...
