Summit Carbon Solutions is incorporating eight of Valero’s ethanol facilities into its carbon capture and storage project, making the company a shipper on Summit’s pipeline.
Valero facilities in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota will be incorporated into Summit’s project, which captures carbon emissions caused by the fermentation process of biorefineries. The Valero facilities’ participation in the project will reportedly capture 3.1 million metric tons of carbon each year while producing 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol. Once carbon is captured, it will be securely stored permanently in geologic formations in North Dakota.
Summit Carbon’s carbon capture and storage project includes partnerships with 57 ethanol plants, aiming to reduce the carbon intensity of ethanol production and support agricultural decarbonization.
“I am excited to welcome one of the premier energy companies in the world into our project, bringing in a new era where agricultural innovation and energy market expansion go hand in hand,” said Bruce Rastetter, founder and executive chairman of Summit Agricultural Group. “By integrating Valero’s facilities into this project, we will make major strides in providing more than a billion gallons of low-carbon fuels to a marketplace hungry for the product. This project ensures the agriculture and biofuels industries will remain dynamic and competitive, meeting the needs of today while preparing for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
The Summit project, centered in midwestern states, aims to open new markets for ethanol producers, or corn growers. The project represents $5.5 billion in total investment and has supported the creation of thousands of jobs in construction and facility operations.
The CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions, Lee Blank, describes the project as representing a major shift in the agriculture industry towards working to lower carbon intensity of biofuels. By helping the agricultural sector acclimate to emerging clean energy trends, Summit aims to support rural communities in maintaining profitability for their farms.
Demand for low-carbon fuels has increased as many heavy industrial and transportation industries work to reduce their emissions.
Biofuels, or fuels made from biological sources like plants or algae, offer a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuel-based energy sources. Traditional ethanol production still produces emissions, but carbon capture and storage may reduce the fuel’s overall impact while the zero-emissions biofuel industry works to scale production.
