Neste RD successfully tested by Rio Tinto

Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ has helped fuel Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations for the first time, with the completion of a successful trial of biofuel across its network of Western Australian ports, railways and mines.
The trial, the first of its kind for Rio Tinto in Australia, was conducted in partnership with leading global renewable diesel producer Neste and Australian fuel supplier Viva Energy. It has provided Rio Tinto with a greater understanding of how renewable diesel could be integrated across its Pilbara operations.
Neste allocated 8,500 tons of renewable diesel from used cooking oil for the trial. The fuel was shipped from Singapore to Rio Tinto’s Parker Point fuel terminal in Dampier by Viva Energy and blended portside with fossil diesel to create a mix with about 20% renewable diesel. It was then distributed across Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations for use in rail, marine, blasting, haul trucks, surface mining equipment and light vehicles.
“Diesel makes up about 70% of the total carbon emissions from our Pilbara iron ore operations. 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,” said Rio Tinto managing director Rail, Port and Core Services Richard Cohen. “Through this trial with Neste and Viva Energy, we’ve gained valuable insights into how renewable diesel can help bridge the gap to widespread electrification as well as for circumstances where electrification may not be suitable.”
“Neste MY Renewable Diesel is a readily available solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Building on the successful partnership in the US, the agreement in Australia reinforces our commitment to support our customers and demonstrates the capabilities of renewable diesel across a wide range of applications. This milestone signifies the continuous collaboration with Rio Tinto and we look forward to further expanding our cooperation,” said Neste head of commercial APAC renewable products Ee Pin Lee.
“Drop-in biofuels like renewable diesel are important tools in the energy transition – they help companies reduce emissions without the cost of replacing equipment and infrastructure. This trial effectively demonstrated the critical role renewable diesel is going to play in reducing the carbon footprint of Australia’s heavy industry. Viva Energy is working alongside key partners like Rio Tinto to help them to identify the right low-carbon solution to meet their specific business needs,” said Viva Energy Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer.