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Western Nebraska ethanol plant to have state’s first carbon capture, storage

A Colorado-based carbon capture company has unveiled plans to build Nebraska’s first commercial carbon sequestration and storage project.

Carbon America CEO Brent Lewis says the project will capture, transport and store carbon from an ethanol plant in the western town of Bridgeport. “There happens to be just pretty good geology right around that plant. It made it practically and economically viable to sequester and capture CO2 right by the ethanol plant.”

On Tuesday, Carbon America announced an agreement with Bridgeport Ethanol LLC, and Lewis says the carbon will be stored underground near the plant in the Panhandle.

Lewis tells Brownfield the process creates an advantage for the ethanol plant and corn farmers in other fuel markets. “A lot of transportation fuel markets, particularly the one in California, that favors ethanol that is decarbonized.  What it will do is create a more vibrant and sustainable ethanol plant because it will be competitively positioned against other projects that may not be doing carbon capture and sequestration.”

He didn’t disclose the cost of the project but said the project will capture approximately 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Carbon America expects the first injection to begin in 2024.