Illinois Carbon Capture Opportunities
With one of the first large-scale biomass carbon capture facilities in the world and supportive state legislation, Illinois is a leader on carbon capture. Illinois has 57 facilities that qualify for the 45Q federal tax credit, 21 of which are also identified as potentially economically feasible candidates for carbon capture retrofits. If retrofitted, these 21 facilities have the potential to capture 16.5 million metric tons of CO2 annually. To support this potential for carbon capture deployment, the Illinois state government has begun investigating recommendations for policy and regulatory needs.
Facilities that Qualify for the Tax Credit in Illinois
The Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative has identified industrial facilities in numerous states as early candidates for carbon capture retrofits. These facilities could qualify for the revamped federal 45Q tax credit for projects that capture carbon from industrial facilities and power plants for geologic storage and beneficial use. Facilities were selected based on emissions, equipment, and estimated capture cost.
Economically Feasible Industries in Illinois
The Regional Carbon Capture Deployment Initiative estimated theoretical capture costs based on published capture equipment costs, facility-specific operational patterns, existing equipment, and level of emissions. Based on that data, the graphic below displays several of Illinois’s most likely economically feasible candidates for capture, along with estimated capturable emissions in million metric tons and the estimated range of capture costs for facilities in each industry. This list is not meant to be definitive. Commercial decisions by participating companies and policy and regulatory decisions by state governments will ultimately determine if a project is feasible for carbon capture. “Captured Emissions” refers to the amount of carbon dioxide that can be expected to be captured at a facility considering relevant technological and economic constraints.
