A landmark trial has shown renewable diesel can cut emissions without disrupting operations.
Rio Tinto and Viva Energy have completed a trial using renewable diesel at the major miner’s Pilbara operations.
For Rio Tinto, the trial is part of the company’s sustainability targets, which include a 50 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050.
“Diesel makes up about 70 per cent of the total carbon emissions from our Pilbara iron ore operations,” Rio Tinto managing director rail, port and core services Richard Cohen told Australian Mining.
“While electrification is the ultimate longer-term solution for repowering the majority of our fleet, we’re also exploring biofuels as a complementary and nearer-term solution.”
Also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil, renewable diesel is made by hydrotreating waste vegetable oils and animal fats with hydrogen and catalysts. It reduces carbon emissions without modifications to existing diesel machinery and can be used across mining, transport, construction and agriculture.
The trial builds on previous successes at Boron and Kennecott operations in the US, where 11 per cent of global fossil diesel consumption has already been replaced with renewable diesel.
It also serves to showcase Viva Energy’s capabilities in delivering low-carbon solutions.
“This trial effectively demonstrated the critical role renewable diesel is going to play in reducing the carbon footprint of Australia’s heavy industry,” Rio Tinto sales manager at Viva Energy Gavin Syminton said.
“Viva Energy is proud to be working alongside key partners like Rio Tinto to help them to identify the right low-carbon solution to meet their specific business needs.”
The collaboration between the two companies has spanned more than 45 years, primarily focused on fuel and lubricant supply.
This long-standing partnership made the move to renewable diesel a natural progression, with both companies aligned in their operational and sustainability goals.
A 20 per cent blend of renewable diesel was used during the trial, offering important insights into operational integration and supply chain logistics. The results were substantial. Rio Tinto reduced Scope 1 emissions by approximately 27,000 tonnes, equivalent to removing the annual tailpipe emissions of 6302 cars per year.
Beyond emissions reduction, the trial provided a deeper understanding of bulk supply, blending processes, and potential scalability across Rio Tinto’s Australian operations.
Viva Energy will continue supporting the supply and storage of renewable diesel, helping scale its use across operations and further reduce emissions. Rio Tinto is developing a pongamia seed farm in North Queensland as part of a biofuels pilot, exploring the potential of pongamia seed oil as a feedstock for renewable diesel.
Renewable diesel offers multiple advantages for the mining sector. The fact it is a drop-in fuel means it requires no modifications to machinery or storage, making it a practical solution for immediate carbon reduction.
It can also serve as a bridge where electrification or hydrogen technologies may not yet be feasible, particularly in remote or heavy-duty operations.
Wider adoption of renewable diesel requires several steps. Local infrastructure must be adapted to handle higher volumes of biofuels, domestic production capacity must grow, and government incentives could support the development of a robust Australian alternative fuels sector.
Reliable supply chains are also critical to ensuring consistent production and delivery to heavy industries.
Leadership from mining companies and fuel suppliers is key to driving adoption. By setting a precedent, companies like Rio Tinto encourage collaboration, innovation and investment, helping accelerate the transition to sustainable energy sources.
Looking ahead, renewable diesel provides a practical solution while the industry develops longer-term technologies such as electrification and hydrogen.
The Rio Tinto–Viva Energy trial demonstrates that scalable solutions for reducing emissions already exist.
With continued leadership, strategic partnerships and supportive policy, renewable diesel could become a cornerstone of Australia’s heavy industry decarbonisation journey.
This feature appeared in the November issue of Australian Mining magazine.
