Sasol, Anglo American, and De Beers pilot renewable diesel in South Africa

The South African petrochemicals firm Sasol, the mining group Anglo American, and its diamond division De Beers have entered into a joint agreement to develop a pilot production of renewable diesel using vegetable oil.

Reporters were told that under the terms of the agreement signed at the African Mining Indaba, which takes place annually in Cape Town each year, the partners would assess the technical viability and commercial viability for feedstock production.

Alison Atkinson, Anglo American Director of Projects and Development, said that De Beers will provide the 20-hectare plots of land where the Solaris and Moringa plant seeds for the vegetable oil trial feedstock will be planted.

Atkinson stated that pre-feasibility study approvals have been approved, and trials for renewable diesel production have been launched. The fuel produced will be used in De Beers' operations.

Alternative fuels that are derived from animal or plant wastes include biofuels.

Sasol says that although renewable diesel production is still not at a commercial level in South Africa, the market for renewable fuels is promising.

"Renewable diesel is transformative. "It meets the technical standards for conventional diesel, while reducing greenhouse gases significantly," Sarushen Pilay, executive Vice President of Sasol’s Business Building, Strategy and Technology Portfolio, said during the signing ceremony. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey; Nqobile dludla)

(source: Reuters)