POET LLC, the world’s largest producer of biofuels, and Tallgrass, a leading infrastructure company, announced that they have entered into definitive agreements to connect POET’s Fairmont, Nebraska bioprocessing facility to the Tallgrass Trailblazer carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline. Under the arrangement, the POET facility will capture bioCO2 for transportation and permanent underground sequestration in Wyoming.
Tallgrass is in the process of converting a natural gas pipeline that has safely operated for over a decade to transport CO2 to its sequestration site in Wyoming, minimizing the need for additional pipeline infrastructure. The Trailblazer project is under construction and expected to commence commercial operations in 2025, which will enable near-term connectivity of POET Bioprocessing – Fairmont.
Capturing and sequestering bioCO2 from the bioethanol production process lowers the carbon intensity of the final product, which will open new market opportunities that create value for Nebraska corn growers and bioethanol producers.
By delivering bioCO2 for transportation and sequestration, POET will not only benefit the farmers who supply their facility; under the Trailblazer Community Benefits Agreement, POET’s commitment will also support additional direct funding to the landowners who have agreed to site the pipeline on their property and the communities that are hosting the infrastructure.
“POET is excited to join the Tallgrass Trailblazer project,” said Jeff Broin, POET Founder and CEO. “Carbon capture is a tremendous opportunity to create significant value for farmers and bioethanol producers while strengthening rural communities and counties in Nebraska and across the Midwest. We believe this initiative — and similar carbon capture projects — will play an important role in unleashing even more opportunities for agriculture in the future.”
“We are excited to be collaborating with POET in Nebraska and are proud that our work with them will broadly benefit the Nebraskan communities associated with the project and continue to add value across the state’s bioeconomy,” said Alison Nelson, Segment President of CO2 Origination at Tallgrass.