Nebraska Carbon Capture Opportunities

Nebraska, one of the largest ethanol production states in the nation, holds immense potential for implementing carbon capture technology. Although the state has not yet established comprehensive carbon capture legislation, electric utilities are taking an active role in the advancement of carbon capture and storage technology. The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) CarbonSAFE program, a multiphase initiative accelerating carbon capture and storage projects, has been conducting work with the Nebraska Public Power District to reveal commercial-scale potential for CCS on the largest coal-fired electricity-generating station in the state. In addition to this current project, facility-level modeling showcases Nebraska’s opportunity to capture nearly 90 percent of the state’s ethanol-production emissions by implementing carbon capture technology on facilities qualifying for the recently extended and revised federal 45Q tax credit. With over 1,400 miles of modeled pipeline, the state is positioned to become a significant CO2 transport and storage hub in the midcontinent region.

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 for geologic storage and beneficial use. Facilities were selected based on emissions, equipment, and estimated capture cost. 

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 Nebraska most likely economically feasible candidates for capture, along with estimated capturable emissions in million metric tons and 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.