Nebraska and Wyoming Partner on Carbon Capture Project to Transport Ethanol Waste

A new carbon capture agreement was announced on February 13 between Poet, the owners of an ethanol plant in Fairmont, Nebraska, and Tallgrass, which will operate the Tallgrass Trailblazer CO2 pipeline, Midwest Messenger reports.

The agreement will see waste carbon dioxide from the ethanol production process in Nebraska transported to Wyoming for sequestration.

This collaboration is part of Tallgrass’s broader effort to convert a natural gas pipeline into one that can carry carbon dioxide (CO2) to a sequestration site in Wyoming. The Trailblazer project is currently under construction and is expected to become operational later this year.

By capturing and sequestering bioCO2 generated in the production of bioethanol, the project aims to reduce the carbon intensity of the final product. This could lead to new market opportunities for ethanol produced at the Fairmont plant, as products with lower carbon intensity are in demand in markets focused on reducing emissions.

According to Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of Poet, the carbon capture initiative represents a significant opportunity for bioethanol producers and farmers. Broin emphasized that the project could help strengthen rural communities in both Nebraska and Wyoming, while providing value to farmers through direct payments as part of the Trailblazer Community Benefits Agreement.

In addition to purchasing corn from local farmers to supply the ethanol plant, the carbon capture project will provide direct payments to landowners and communities that host the pipeline. The Community Benefits Agreement aims to ensure that the project not only helps to reduce emissions but also brings tangible economic benefits to the regions involved.