Rio Tinto launches farming trial in Australia to explore renewable diesel production

Rio Tinto, the mining giant, announced on Wednesday that it would develop seed farms to investigate the potential of Pongamia oil as a source for renewable diesel.

The miner and Midway, a local manager of a woodfiber processor, have partnered to manage the farming operations.

Pongamia, a native Australian tree, can have its seeds processed into renewable diesel. This alternative emits much less carbon than fossil fuel.

Rio Tinto has cleared about 3,000 acres of land in Queensland to test the feasibility of a pilot project that will determine whether Pongamia seed oils can be used as a renewable fuel source for the company.

The Pongamia Seed Pilot is an important alternative pathway that could reduce Rio Tinto's reliance on diesel at the mid-term, said Jonathon McCarthy, Rio Tinto's chief decarbonisation officer.

It said that the company was also looking at biofuels for areas where electric power could be difficult to obtain. Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao, Bengaluru. Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri

(source: Reuters)