Iowa Approves Summit Carbon Solutions' CO2 Pipeline

The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) has approved the Summit Carbon Solutions base pipeline project. In a statement, Summit said that this is a milestone for the company and the agriculture industry.

The sector is on the path of accessing new and emerging markets, like sustainable aviation fuel, by lowering ethanol’s carbon intensity score, it said.

The approval follows successful reapplication hearings for Summit’s North Dakota pipeline permit before the North Dakota Public Service Commission. 

“The momentum will continue as we prepare to file our South Dakota permit application in early July”, said Lee Blank, CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions. “We look forward to engaging with the state throughout this process and are confident in a successful outcome”.

Summit Carbon Solutions is partnering with 57 ethanol plants across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. It has signed voluntary easement agreements with 75 percent of Iowa landowners along the pipeline route.

The company said that it will capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the fermentation process of biorefineries, such as ethanol plants, compress the captured CO2, and channel it to North Dakota, where it will be permanently stored underground in deep geologic locations. This will drastically reduce the carbon footprint of ethanol production and enhance the long-term economic viability of the ethanol and agriculture industries, the company said. Summit said its project will capture and sequester over 16 million metric tons of CO2 annually.

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