Carbon Capture and Storage project operational in Illinois

The US Department of Energy announced on April 10 that the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (ICCS) project located in Decature is now functioning.

The project is an integrated system for collecting CO2 from an ethanol production plant as well as storing the carbon dioxide in a deep sandstone reservoir being the Mt. Simon Sandstone in the Illinois Basin.

The ICCS project receives from the Department of Energy (DOE) $141M investment. Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), one of the world’s largest agricultural processors, is part of the project players. It works with the DOE, Richland Community College and the University of Illinois.

ADM Chief Technology officer, Todd Werpy declared: “We are extremely proud to be part of this important program. The technology that we are using in Decatur can be a model for reducing industrial carbon emissions around the world. Around the globe, across our business, from reducing waste and water usage to increasing energy efficiency to taking part in this groundbreaking carbon storage project, we are living up to our dedication to do business the right way.”

Up to one million tons of CO2 could be stored annually and the project is permitted to operate for five years.