Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) announced today that the Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage (ICCS) project, a partnership to safely and permanently store more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, has begun operations.

“We are extremely proud to be part of this important program,” said Todd Werpy, ADM chief technology officer. “The technology that we are using in Decatur can be a model for reducing industrial carbon emissions around the world. We’re pleased to be working with great partners in the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Community College and the University of Illinois – Illinois State Geological Survey, and we’re excited to move forward as we not only reduce our carbon emissions in Decatur, but also contribute to important research that will help other companies do the same.”

“2017 is a watershed year for carbon capture in the United States. On the heels of the successful opening of Petra Nova in Texas, the Illinois Industrial facility serves as another example that large-scale CCS deployment works, is safe, and serves as a key component of a low carbon future,” said Jeff Erikson, general manager of the Americas region with the Global CCS Institute. “The Illinois Industrial CCS Facility is the 12th large-scale CCS facility operating in North America, and the first large-scale application of CCS on biofuels production in the world.  With this landmark achievement, ADM will now capture and store about one million tons of CO2 per year. We applaud ADM for their vision and leadership, and acknowledge the foresight and wise investment provided by the U.S. Department of Energy.”

The project captures carbon dioxide, which is created as a byproduct at ADM’s Decatur corn processing facility, and stores it safely almost a mile and a half underground in the Mt. Simon Sandstone. With the capability to store 1.1 million tons of carbon annually, ICCS is designed to demonstrate the commercial-scale applicability of carbon capture and storage technology in a saline reservoir. The project is currently permitted to operate for five years and has the potential to store up to 5.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.

This is the second carbon capture and storage project that ADM has helped to lead. Previously, the company removed and stored approximately a million tons of carbon over three years as part of the smaller-scale Illinois Basin – Decatur Project, led by the Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium at the University of Illinois.

“ADM is committed to successfully feeding the world while minimizing our impact on the planet,” Werpy continued. “Around the globe, across our business, from reducing waste and water usage to increasing energy efficiency to taking part in this groundbreaking carbon storage project, we are living up to our dedication to do business the right way.”

about ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with approximately 32,000 employees serving customers in more than 160 countries. With a global value chain that includes approximately 500 crop procurement locations, 250 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 38 innovation centers and the world’s premier crop transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses.