ADM and Tallgrass have successfully launched the largest bioethanol carbon capture facility globally at ADM's Columbus, Nebraska Corn Processing Complex.
A major milestone in industrial decarbonization was reached today as ADM, a global leader in innovative solutions from nature, and Tallgrass, a leading energy infrastructure company, officially announced the start of operations for a new Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project at ADM’s Corn Processing Complex in Columbus, Nebraska. The facility now holds the distinction of being the world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture facility, demonstrating the viability of large-scale CO2 sequestration in the bioenergy sector.
The ambitious project is designed to capture CO2 produced at ADM’s ethanol plant and transport it for safe, permanent storage. The captured CO2 is moved via Tallgrass’ Trailblazer pipeline to the company's Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub, where it is injected deep underground.
The Trailblazer pipeline, a critical piece of infrastructure for this project, was formerly a 400-mile natural gas transmission line that spans Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska. Its conversion and repurposing highlights an innovative approach to leveraging existing energy assets for climate solutions. The pipeline is capable of transporting more than 10 million tons of CO2 per year. To put this capacity into perspective, Tallgrass noted this is equivalent to removing over 2 million passenger vehicles from the roads, which represents approximately 25% of all registered motor vehicles in the three states the pipeline crosses.
Connecting the ADM facility to the main pipeline system required the construction of a new lateral line. Tallgrass emphasized that this critical extension was completed utilizing only voluntary easements from landowners, underscoring a commitment to cooperative community engagement throughout the project's development.
Chris Cuddy, president, North America at ADM, spoke to the company's long-standing commitment to the technology. "ADM has been a pioneer in the CCS industry for more than a decade and this is an expansion of that expertise," Cuddy stated. He stressed that CCS is a core component of ADM's broader strategy to decarbonize operations and meet the rising global demand for low-carbon ingredients.
Alison Nelson, segment president of CO2 business development and origination at Tallgrass, echoed the sentiment of achievement, focusing on the local-to-global impact. "This project proves that global impact grows from local roots," said Nelson. "We’re proud to stand with ADM in achieving this milestone."
The successful launch of the Columbus CCS project is seen by industry analysts as a game-changer for the bioethanol sector, providing a tangible pathway to significantly reduce the carbon intensity of biofuel production.
