Terviva and Idemitsu Kosan launch trial plantation for SAF production

Terviva, an agricultural innovation firm focused on cultivating pongamia for food, feed, and fuel, has announced a strategic investment from Idemitsu Kosan, an integrated energy company. Together with Stanmore, an Australia-based coal resource entity, Idemitsu will initiate a trial plantation of pongamia in Queensland, Australia.

This collaboration aims to enhance the global production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) using oil derived from Terviva’s proprietary pongamia technology. Idemitsu’s industry experience in fuels and Terviva’s scalable tree production model are expected to facilitate a robust supply chain for SAF, utilizing the entire pongamia bean.

Pongamia is recognized as a suitable feedstock for SAF through HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) technology. The trial will allow Idemitsu Kosan to evaluate pongamia’s growth in atypical agricultural regions and optimize the supply chain for SAF production. 

Additional research will focus on potential carbon credit generation from afforestation, the conversion of pongamia shells into black pellets for biomass energy, and using seed pomace as livestock feed.

Naveen Sikka, Terviva’s founder and CEO, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the company’s advancements in pongamia genetics, which have demonstrated high yields and sustainable farming practices. 

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Terviva has invested 15 years of research across nearly 2,000 acres in the U.S. and Australia, developing pongamia cultivars that yield over three metric tons of beans per acre, characterized by their high oil content.

The company aims to secure sustainable raw materials to meet the growing demand and minimize reliance on traditional fossil fuels. This trial plantation of pongamia is expected to provide insights that will guide future commercial expansion in SAF production.

Share This Article