Pongomia Pinnata: A Great Versatile Leguminous Tree

Pongamia Pinnata, which now has the common botanical name of “Millettia Pinnata”, is a leguminous tree, which is native to Northern Australia, India, and much of the tropical world. Pongamia is native to a number of countries including India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It has also been naturalized in parts of eastern Africa, northern Australia and Florida. Pongamia is a legume tree that is native to Australia and most of the tropical world. We are discovering the many extremes it can handle, including frost, and salty ground, amongst other things. More importantly, pongamia can produce up to 10,000L of oil per hectare, which can be run straight in a slightly modified diesel engine, or converted to biodiesel

The Seeds: Pongamia seeds, pictured left, are the source of the oil, and for us the most important part of the plant. The seed in the shell contains between 30-40% oil. This is quite variable and is one of the selection factors we have employed in choosing elite plants.

The Shell: The shell is a waste product, however when burnt, it has a similar energy to brown coal, so it can be used in either a gasifier or simply thrown back on the soil for fertilizer.

The Meal: The “meal” is what is left of the seed after the oil has been extracted using a conventional screw press and constitutes approximately 60% of the seed by weight. This can be put through a steeping process to remove the remaining oil with its unpalatable alkaloids, and fed as a protein meal at up to 37% of the ration for cattle.  

Products from Pongamia:

Seed in Shell

Seed in shell can be used whole as a boiler fuel (replacement for coal or other solid fuels).

Seed – approx. 46% of seed in shell weight

The following products are produced:

Oil – approx 40% of seed weight

Can be used directly into a slow speed diesel engine; with a relatively inexpensive retrofit kit for any diesel engine; or crude ready engines such as the new range of farm tractors.

Can be further processed into: Biodiesel; second generation Green Diesel which can be tailored for use as jet fuel; or second generation Sun Diesel by VW.

Meal – approx 60% of seed weight

Can be fed directly to supplement cattle feed at up to 10% of diet without processing. Can be further processed by steeping to remove the alkaloids (unpalatable component) to be used as a much more significant component of diet for livestock. Can also be converted into Sun Diesel using their second-generation biomass to liquid process; or as an organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Meal can be further broken down into its components:

Starch – approx. 50% of meal

Can be converted to 1st Generation Ethanol

Protein – approx. 50% of meal

Can be used as concentrated livestock feed supplement after the ethanol process.

Shell – approx. 54% of total seed in shell weight. Can be used directly as a solid fuel for boilers; converted to Sun diesel (biomass to liquid); or as an organic fertilizer.

Climate Change Mitigation Effects

Carbon Sink Effect 

Calculations of Emission reductions approx.20t CO2 / ha 

Sequestration 

Trees in the plantations grow for approx. 100years 

Carbon sequestrated at an estimated 5 to10 t/hectare/year 

Char incorporation into soil with approximately 40% of the dry weight of the biomass put through the gasification plant. 

Exploration of European pricing per ton for possible credits 

Pongomia pinnata Processing see image.