Illinois Ethanol Innovates: Evolving to power a stronger, cleaner future.
Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) takes carbon that would otherwise be released into the air from industrial processes, compresses it into liquid, and returns it deep underground. Consumers around the globe are demanding low-carbon products, including fuel. As a renewable fuels leader, Illinois is embracing CCS – a safe and essential technology evolving our agricultural and ethanol success into a powerful force for a more sustainable, stronger economy.
Understanding Carbon Capture and Storage
Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) is a proven technology that stops carbon dioxide (CO2) from entering the atmosphere.
Here’s how it works with our Illinois ethanol plants:
- Capture: CO2, a byproduct of ethanol and other industrial production, is captured before it's released.
- Transport: Because of Illinois’ unique geography, most captured carbon is stored underground near where it is captured. CO2 may also be safely transported, sometimes through pipelines, to storage sites.
- Storage: The CO2, in a liquid form, is deposited more than 3 miles underground into secure, porous rock formations that have safely held fluids for millions of years. These formations are thousands of feet below drinking water sources and sealed by impermeable layers of rock, ensuring permanent containment.
- Safety: lllinois's CCS projects operate under rigorous federal and state regulations, including the Illinois SAFE CCS Act, approved into law in 2024. CO2 is stored thousands of feet deep in secure rock formations, far below groundwater. Continuous monitoring ensures safe, permanent containment.
This process is critical because while ethanol significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional gasoline, CCS takes that environmental benefit even further. This makes Illinois ethanol one of the cleanest fuels available, which can open new market opportunities like sustainable aviation fuel.
Illinois: Where Agricultural Stewardship Meets Industrial Advancement
Illinois is uniquely positioned to lead the nation in CCS thanks to our rich agricultural heritage and ideal geology.
- Farming Excellence: Illinois farmers are world-class stewards of the land, continually innovating and creating a low-carbon feedstock for ethanol.
- Advanced Ethanol Plants: State-of-the-art ethanol plants efficiently convert Illinois corn into clean-burning fuel. Integrating CCS means these plants can capture the CO2 generated during production, making the entire cycle even cleaner.
- Ideal Geology: Illinois sits atop vast, deep, and secure geological formations perfectly suited for safe, permanent carbon storage. These formations have been studied extensively and offer reliable containment for millions of tons of carbon.
Common Questions & Our Answers
- Is CCS safe? CCS projects in Illinois operate under strict federal and state regulations, with extensive monitoring to ensure safe and permanent carbon containment. This includes multiple layers of impermeable rock above the storage formations that effectively and naturally prevent leakage.
- Does it disrupt ground stability? CO2 is injected into deep, non-potable saline formations, nowhere near where ground shifts originate. The pressures and volumes involved are very different from activities associated with seismicity and ground movement.
- What are the benefits for my community? CCS helps secure Illinois jobs, supports our farmers, and contributes to local economic development and cleaner air for our communities by reducing industrial emissions.
Learn More and Join the Conversation
Illinois is proud to lead the charge towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. We invite you to explore more about how ethanol and Carbon Capture & Storage are benefiting our state, our economy, and our environment.