Industry is the third highest-emitting sector in the US economy and has less obvious carbon reduction pathways in comparison to electricity and transportation, where the vast majority of decarbonization discussions have focused. This post introduces the current landscape of emissions in the US industrial heartland, the Midcontinent region, to inform discussions of carbon reduction pathways. While industry poses a challenge for decarbonization given its diversity of subsectors, unique emissions sources, and complex solution sets, it also holds a high potential for low-cost strategies, opportunities for collaboration between subsectors, and could drive investment in innovative decarbonization technologies. Continue reading »
Carbon Capture Coalition Sends Letter to Congress on Supporting At-Risk Projects as Part of Economic Recovery
May 11, 2020 in Carbon Management Author: Jessie Stolark
The Carbon Capture Coalition (convened by the Great Plains Institute) recently sent a letter to Congressional leaders and committees of jurisdiction outlining their request for targeted measures aimed at providing immediate support for current carbon capture projects at risk of delay or cancellation due to the COVID-19 crisis and to increase the number of projects in the near-term development pipeline. Continue reading »
Coalition Welcomes IRS Inspector General Report, Calls for Agency to Follow Coalition Recommendations to Safeguard Integrity of New 45Q Tax Credit
May 6, 2020 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Jennifer Christensen
Great Plains Institute Vice President and Director of the Carbon Capture Coalition Brad Crabtree issued a statement responding to the release of a letter from the Internal Revenue Service Inspector General regarding tax credit claims under the old 45Q tax credit program. The statement was originally posted on the Carbon Capture Coalition website:
Energy, environmental, labor, and policy leaders recently hosted the Minnesota Carbon Capture Forum to inform and educate a diverse audience about the economic and environmental opportunities for the technology in the state. Below you will find audio of the event as well as other resources on how Minnesota and other US states can capitalize on this decades-tested technology. Continue reading »
Carbon Capture Ready: Data and Tools Available for US States
March 10, 2020 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Patrice Lahlum
The newly launched Carbon Capture Ready website (CarbonCaptureReady.org) serves as a resource for a growing network of state leaders, industries, labor, and NGOs to realize the potential for carbon capture to transform economies and ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Continue reading »
45Q Tax Credit Implementation Update: IRS Releases Long-Anticipated Guidance, but Questions Remain
March 6, 2020 in Carbon Management Author: Patrice Lahlum
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released two pieces of guidance relating to the implementation of the reformed 45Q tax credit, relating to requirements defining beginning and continuous construction requirements for projects and a revenue procedure that establishes rules for business partnerships claiming the tax credit. Clarity and financial certainty on 45Q tax credit implementation is vital for carbon capture projects which have a narrow window of time to begin before the credit’s January 1, 2024 deadline for beginning of construction. Continue reading »
US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis: Brad Crabtree Responds to Questions on Reducing Industrial Emissions
January 11, 2020 in Carbon Management Author: Gail Nosek
Brad Crabtree, Great Plains Institute’s (GPI’s) vice president of carbon management, was asked to testify before the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in his role as director of the multi-sector Carbon Capture Coalition, which is convened by GPI. He spoke at the hearing, “Solving the Climate Crisis: Reducing Industrial Emissions Through US Innovation,” last fall about the critical need for economywide deployment of carbon capture to reduce industrial carbon emissions at scale. Following the hearing, the committee had a number of follow up questions, which Brad answered and submitted for the record. Those written responses can be downloaded or read below. Continue reading »
45Q Implementation on Carbon Capture New Year Wish List
January 6, 2020 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Patrice Lahlum
The calendar has turned to 2020 and the carbon capture industry is still waiting on the US Department of the Treasury to release additional guidance on the implementation of the reformed and expanded 45Q credit. Continue reading »
Carbon Capture 101
December 17, 2019 in Carbon Management, Reports & Whitepapers Authors: Dane McFarlane, Elizabeth Abramson, Jennifer Christensen
Carbon capture is an essential part of GPI’s work to achieve a zero-carbon energy system by midcentury. GPI engages a broad set of interests at the state and federal levels to increase the deployment of carbon capture projects and infrastructure. We developed a carbon capture 101 fact sheet (PDF and text below) as a starting point for learning about what carbon capture is and why it’s an important economic and environmental strategy.
Continue reading »
Award-Winning Software Enables GPI to Show Real-World Possibilities for Carbon Capture
December 9, 2019 in Carbon Management, News & Press Author: Dane McFarlane
Game-changing technology that models the lowest-cost, best placement, and most effective use of carbon capture, transport, and storage has earned a prestigious research and development award. A technology that happens to be at the heart of GPI’s work on carbon capture for the past few years. Continue reading »
