Carbon Capture and Storage

IL Corn Policy

In an effort to further lower carbon intensity scores, IL Corn supports carbon capture from ethanol and agricultural industries, and the transportation of CO2 to areas with geological formations that can store the product in an environmentally safe and permanent manner. All aspects of the system must meet federal & state regulatory requirements and respect the rights of landowners and drainage districts. (1/23)

NCGA Policy

NCGA opposes any government action that would infringe upon property owner’s rights without appeal and proper compensation and opposes the unnecessary use of Eminent Domain to convert agricultural lands to other uses.

Educational Webinar Series

IL Corn facilitated conversations with professionals to share the answers to scientific, economic, safety, and legal questions regarding Carbon Capture and Storage. Watch the webinars and read the materials below for the most sought out information on CCS. 

Why Carbon Capture & Storage Technology?

• Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) technology positions Midwestern ethanol to compete with electric vehicles by lowering ethanol’s carbon intensity (CI) score. The technology brings corn-based ethanol’s overall CI score to near or below zero, equal to or better than the CI score of electric vehicles.
• When the technology meets regulatory requirements, and the rights of landowners and drainage districts are respected, CCS technology becomes a necessary tool to protect and grow the ethanol market for Illinois corn farmers.
• Using CCS technology for ethanol production will open many new opportunities for the product in domestic and international low carbon fuel markets, bolster investment in existing facilities and better position the industry to pursue new market opportunities like Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
• Illinois is geographically well-positioned to capitalize on CCS technology due to our geology and proximity to the ethanol industry. The geology becomes a competitive advantage for our state.

Illinois Impact, By the Numbers

• The ethanol industry consumes more than 700 million bushels per year.

• Ethanol plants listed above utilize 28 percent of Illinois corn.

CCS Safety

• CCS is a well-rounded array of technology aimed to securely capture and store CO2 within Illinois's unique geological structure. 
• CO₂ has been successfully stored in rock formations thousands of feet underground in the United States for numerous decades in. The sites undergo routine testing with government oversight and guidance.  
• Injection sites must receive a Class VI Well Permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to begin a carbon storage operation. The permitting process can take numerous years and evaluates the site's characteristics to ensure it has the physical features and monitoring techniques to track the movement of CO₂ over the years. 

More about CCS Technology in Illinois

• Central Illinois includes a geological feature called the Illinois Basin, which is a large rock formation underground that includes the Mt. Simon Sandstone Saline Reservoir about 1.5 miles below the surface. Above the porous sandstone area are several other layers of impermeable shale rock that are hundreds of feet thick, acting essentially as a cap on the sandstone reservoir area.
• For 10+ years, ADM and the U.S. Department of Energy have tested and monitored two separate test wells drilled into the sandstone to store compressed CO2 from their Decatur ethanol plant. The research demonstrates that Central Illinois is an ideal location for long-term CO2 storage.
• Other companies are now pursuing injection well permits at the federal level. As the technology matures, the pure nature of the CO2 that comes from ethanol production could potentially be monetized and used in other applications instead of being injected into storage.