Global chemicals and energy company Sasol, along with mining companies Anglo American and De Beers agreed on Feb. 4 to jointly pilot the production of feedstock for use in renewable diesel. The initiative will help establish the value chain for renewable fuels in South Africa, according to the companies.
The objective of the joint development agreement is to assess the technical and commercial viability of feedstock production, starting with oil-seed crops Solaris and Moringa, to generate vegetable oil. Sasol’s existing assets can take a variety of feedstocks to produce renewable diesel using vegetable oil quicker than greenfield projects and at lower costs, according to the press statement.
Although renewable diesel production in South Africa is not yet at a commercial scale, recent market analysis indicates the country’s renewable fuels market is promising, driven by end customer demands and their decarbonization targets.
What People are Saying
Sarushen Pillay, an executive vice president at Sasol: “Renewable diesel … meets the technical standards of conventional diesel while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our customers can, therefore, use it as a “drop-in” fuel in their existing equipment and machinery to meet their greenhouse gas reduction commitments. Partnering with Anglo American, we're investigating the development of a local and cost-effective supply chain for sustainable feedstock, utilizing vegetable oil to produce renewable diesel in our facilities.”
Alison Atkinson, director, projects and development for Anglo American: “This is an important initiative to strengthen our commitment to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. … We worked closely with our De Beers colleagues to conceive this partnership given their pre-feasibility studies on renewable diesel production trials within their mining operations and host communities. De Beers is also providing the more than 20-hectare pieces of land on which the trial feedstock will be grown.”
