Rio Tinto to develop Pongamia seed farms in Australia as part of biofuels pilot

Rio Tinto will develop Pongamia seed farms in Australia as part of a new biofuels pilot. The project will explore the potential of Pongamia seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel, a cleaner alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The pilot aims to determine if Pongamia seed oil can contribute to Rio Tinto’s renewable diesel needs while potentially contributing to the growth of a new biofuel sector in Australia. Rio Tinto is in the final stages of acquiring approximately 3,000 hectares of cleared land near Townsville in north Queensland to establish farms to study growth conditions and measure seed oil yields. Rio Tinto has partnered with Midway Limited, to oversee the planting and management of the Pongamia seed farms. Midway Limited will engage with nurseries, agricultural experts and research organizations throughout the pilot, and prioritise opportunities for Traditional Owners and local communities. As part of its ongoing efforts to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2050, Rio Tinto is actively exploring the potential of biofuels in the low-carbon energy mix.