InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Pongamia pinnata is gaining attention as a sustainable bioenergy solution amid the climate crisis and the need for alternative fuels. Resilient on marginal land, capable of sequestering carbon, and producing high-quality vegetable oil—on par with palm oil—this legume offers promising technical and economic potential for development in Indonesia.
As the world races to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the energy and agricultural sectors—two of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—demand urgent solutions. In the midst of this need, Pongamia pinnata—a legume tree formerly known as Millettia pinnata—is emerging as a strong candidate for a second-generation biofuel source that is not only technically efficient but also economically and ecologically beneficial.
Often called malapari, Pongamia grows in both sub-tropical and tropical regions. In its native habitat, malapari can withstand a wide range of temperatures and survive on marginal land. It grows at elevations between 0 and 1,200 meters above sea level and thrives with low rainfall of around 400 mm and long dry seasons. It grows naturally in lowland forests on limestone and rocky reefs along coasts, rivers, lakes, and tidal areas. Its best growth is in deep sandy clay, but it can also grow on sandy soil and heavy clay. The plant is also highly tolerant of drought, salinity, and alkaline conditions.
The Superior Characteristics of Pongamia
As a member of the legume family, Pongamia has the natural ability to supply nitrogen from the atmosphere, making it an ideal crop for marginal land unsuitable for food crops. Furthermore, the plant has high tolerance to heat, salinity, and floods—conditions that are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Pongamia is primarily grown for the oil in its seeds, which have a high-fat content and can be converted into second-generation biodiesel. In a technical and economic appraisal conducted by AgriFutures Australia and presented by John Smith, General Manager for Levied and Emerging Industries, Pongamia's value is not limited to its oil. The protein powder from its seeds, its pods as biomass fuel, and its carbon sequestration contribution make Pongamia a multi-benefit tree.
With potential oil yields reaching 3 tons per hectare (t/ha) from seeds and an additional 3 t/ha if other biomass is converted into fuel, Pongamia has the potential to rival—and even surpass—palm oil, which is known as the highest-yielding oil crop with an average of 3.7 t/ha. The advantage? Pongamia grows with lower water needs and does not compete with land used for food.
Recent studies show that the internal rate of return (IRR) from planting Pongamia can reach 13.5–15%, making it an attractive investment in northern Australia. The biggest challenge now is achieving a sufficient production scale to support the establishment of local processing facilities.
One of Pongamia's superior values is its ability to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Protein powder from Pongamia seeds, when used as a feed supplement, has been proven to lower livestock emissions in three ways: improving the nutritional quality of the feed, accelerating the "turn-off time" (harvest time), and increasing the calving percentage of beef cattle. With methane emissions from livestock contributing to 66% of Australia's agricultural emissions, this intervention is highly strategic.
Furthermore, Pongamia contributes to carbon sequestration through living trees and the use of byproducts as biomass fuel. In the context of carbon forestry, Pongamia can be a sustainable alternative to other forest plantation types that often compromise food land.
Second-Generation Biofuel
First-generation biodiesel—which heavily uses food crops like soybeans, corn, and canola—has drawn criticism for competing with global food security. On the other hand, second-generation biofuels, such as those produced from Pongamia, use raw materials that grow on non-productive land and come from agricultural waste or wood biomass.
In the Net Zero by 2050 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), advanced biofuels are considered an important transitional solution, especially for sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as long-distance transportation, mining, and aviation. (T2)
Author: Dadang Gusyana / Agronomist Consultant, Agriconsulting Europe S.A. (AESA), Brussels.
