PRI leads applied research into the safe, effective, and economical capture, use, and storage of CO2 from power plants and industrial operations, preventing these greenhouse gases from reaching the atmosphere.
Carbon Capture
CO2 from power plants and industrial operations must be captured before it can be sequestered underground or beneficially used. With backing from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), PRI and industry partners are deploying advanced carbon capture technologies that are proven to remove 90 percent of the carbon dioxide from emissions.
Carbon Storage
The geology of Illinois is ideal for safe carbon storage, with the Mt. Simon Sandstone capped by layers of sedimentary rock that act as a “seal.” The Illinois Basin region, which covers most of Illinois as well as southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky, has a storage capacity ranging between 12 billion and 172 billion metric tons of CO2.
For almost 20 years, PRI geologists and engineers have been developing methods for the safe capture and underground storage of CO2 from power plants and industrial operations, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Multiple projects have shown that carbon storage can be done safely and effectively in Illinois.
The PRI-led Illinois Basin-Decatur project (IBDP) recently concluded and fully met project storage targets, storing approximately 1 million metric tons of CO2, which was one-third of the captured carbon emissions from ADM’s biofuel plant operations in three years, into the Mt. Simon Sandstone, paving the way for commercial-scale use of the sandstone for CO2 storage. This world-class project gained one of the first EPA Underground Injection Control Class VI permits (for wells used for geologic sequestration of CO2) and has garnered international interest, with over 700 visitors from 29 countries.
A second ADM project, the Illinois Industrial Sources Carbon Capture and Storage Project, also is meeting its target of storing all captured emissions from corn processing and has captured and stored 2.4 million metric tons of CO2 since it began in April 2017.
Carbon Management at Power Plants
PRI leads the large-scale pilot testing of a Linde-BASF CO2 capture technology system at City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) in Springfield, Illinois. When the 10-megawatt capture system is built and begins to process 5 percent of the Dallman Unit 4 flue gas, it will capture more than 90 percent of those CO2 emissions. By demonstrating effective and economical carbon capture, this project is a building block to commercialization and broader adoption of carbon capture technology.
Through a previous DOE project, PRI has demonstrated that there is significant carbon storage potential in this area, and PRI scientists are conducting a Phase 2 commercial-scale characterization of a potential carbon storage site in Macon County.
PRI also leads a project to design a next-generation power plant at CWLP that both reduces emissions and captures and uses carbon dioxide. The design combines a 270-megawatt ultra-supercritical coal boiler, an 87-megawatt natural gas combustion turbine generator, a 50-megawatt energy storage subsystem, and a post-combustion carbon capture subsystem. The captured CO2 will be used to feed algae, which in turn will be used to develop biofuels.
PRI and industry partners are working on a front-end engineering design (FEED) study to retrofit the Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) in Marissa, Illinois, with a system capable of capturing more than 90 percent of treated carbon emissions. The plan is to incorporate additional carbon offset strategies to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions.
PSGC also is one of two sites included in the Illinois Storage Corridor project led by PRI. This project involves characterizing and constructing carbon storage operations at PGSC and the One Earth Energy ethanol facility in Gibson City. The two sites will provide a combined storage capacity of 6.5 million metric tons of CO2 annually.
Two DOE-supported carbon-capture research projects are ongoing at U of I’s Abbott Power Plant. PRI is working with industry partner Linde to test three technologies for reducing aerosol particle concentrations in flue gas. This work could help make solvent-based carbon capture technology more economical at commercial scale. The second project is advancing the development of a CO2 absorption technology that could dramatically improve energy efficiency, lower the equipment cost and footprint, and maintain operational simplicity.
Carbon Management at Industrial Sites
Industrial operations—such as cement and steel manufacture, refineries, chemical plants, etc.—also are significant sources of CO2 that must be managed. PRI recently began a DOE-backed FEED study for a commercial-scale carbon capture retrofit of an industrial facility in Missouri. The captured CO2 will be pipeline-ready for geological storage.
Direct Air Capture and Storage
PRI is also addressing the capture of non-point source CO2 from transportation and other activities. PRI and industry partners recently began a DOE-backed project to develop preliminary designs and determine the feasibility of the first commercial-scale direct air capture and storage system (DAC+S) for CO2 removal in the United States. This 18-month project will explore the possibility of pulling 100,000 tonnes of CO2 from the air annually. By using three test sites across the U.S., the project will examine the potential impact of different climate conditions on CO2 direct air capture.
CCUS Report
The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in consultation with an intergovernmental advisory committee, pursuant to Public Act 102-0341, hereby filed its report on the potential for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) as a climate mitigation technology throughout Illinois.
The report provides an assessment of Illinois subsurface storage resources, a description of existing and selected subsurface storage projects, and best practices for carbon storage. Additionally, the report provides recommendations for policy and regulatory needs at the state level based on its findings.
PRI unites expertise in geoscience, ecology and environmental science, climate, sustainable energy, hydrology and water, archaeology, and pollution prevention. PRI is not a policymaking or advocacy organization. PRI serves as scientists to the state to help policymakers better understand the role CCUS could play in Illinois by providing objective, science-based research.
In assembling this report, the CCUS study group reviewed an inventory of existing CCUS initiatives in the state and nationally; performed a literature review; compiled a review of the existing legislation to supplement the report; employed an outside firm, Industrial Economics, Incorporated, to conduct an Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN) economic impact analysis; and hosted 13 virtual stakeholder listening sessions with diverse groups, including state agencies, environmental organizations, unions, industry, general public and other stakeholders.
We appreciate all the stakeholders who took the time to provide their perspectives, either in writing or by attending a listening session.
The CCUS report is now available to the public.
For questions, please contact Tiffany Jolley, Assistant Director for Strategic Communications, directly at tjolley2@illinois.edu or 217-300-2356.
CCS FAQ
CCS
The Mahomet Aquifer is on the order of 500 hundred feet and is protected by multiple rock layers that prevent CO2 from migrating upward. While CCS operations occur at much greater depths, The U.S. EPA’s Class VI permitting provision, authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act, ensures regulations are in place to safeguard underground water sources, minimizing risk. For more details, please refer to our comprehensive CCUS report.
This is a common concern. However, the primary goal of CCS is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from various sources, including coal-powered plants. CCS is part of a comprehensive net-zero portfolio that incorporates multiple technologies to achieve the state’s climate goals. Mitigating climate change by capturing and storing CO2 from any energy source, contributes to the overall decarbonization efforts.
Yes, CCS is safe when managed and regulated properly. Carbon dioxide is stored over a mile below the surface, isolated from groundwater by multiple impermeable rock layers. The U.S. EPA’s Class VI permitting provision, authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act, ensures rigorous safety and monitoring. For more details, please refer to our comprehensive CCUS report.
Both natural gas and CO2 can pose risks if not properly managed, CO2 storage involves different processes and safety measures. CO2 is stored at greater depths, often more than a mile underground, isolated by multiple impermeable rock layers. The U.S. EPA’s Class VI regulations require rigorous site characterization, well construction standards, and continuous monitoring to ensure the integrity of the storage site and protect underground sources of drinking water.
PRI’s mission is to provide decision-makers and the public with scientific information and research to inform policy discussions. In December 2022, PRI released a comprehensive carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) report, pursuant to Public Act 102-0341. Since publishing that report, PRI has provided data and research as requested throughout the legislative process, providing insights from this scientific work.
If an injection well fails, multiple safety measures and monitoring systems are designed to detect and mitigate any potential leaks. The U.S. EPA’s Class VI regulations require rigorous site characterization, well construction standards, and continuous monitoring to ensure the integrity of the storage site and protect underground sources of drinking water.