Summit Carbon Solutions announced further progress on its carbon capture and storage project with the filing of its pipeline permit application in the state of Iowa with the Iowa Utilities Board. Summit’s project will connect ethanol biorefineries across five states in the upper Midwest – Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota – with the largest portion of the project, consisting of 12 ethanol biorefineries and over 680 miles of carbon dioxide pipeline, in Iowa.
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By capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide emissions from partner ethanol biorefineries, Summit Carbon Solutions will cut the carbon footprint of their ethanol in half, which will ensure the environmental and economic sustainability of these facilities for the long term by opening new markets and improving profitability.
Summit recently began acquiring right-of-way easements for the pipeline component of the project across its five-state footprint. As a company rooted in agriculture, Summit places a heavy emphasis on landowner engagement and is focused on working with landowners who wish to voluntarily participate.
“We’re pleased to have begun the permitting process for Summit Carbon Solutions, which keeps us on schedule to be operational in the first half of 2024,” said Bruce Rastetter, CEO of Summit Agricultural Group. “This project will be transformational for the ethanol industry and, by extension, the agriculture industry. Farmers and landowners in Iowa understand that ethanol production consumes over 50% of our corn crop every year, which is a big reason why we’ve had early success signing hundreds of pipeline easements with farmers who have a vested interest in our success.”
Summit will continue its permit application process with other states and jurisdictions in the coming months as it proceeds to develop the first interstate carbon capture and storage project in the United States.
“To me it’s pretty simple – this project will allow local ethanol plants to access growing low carbon fuel markets. And if these plants are more profitable, it means we have a long-term market for our corn. With more than half of all Iowa corn acres going to ethanol, this project will benefit Iowa farmers and landowners for decades to come.” – Tim Burrack, Vice Chairman of the Global Farmer Network and Iowa farmer