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    Meeting the international target of no more than 2° Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels is an extraordinary challenge we must meet to address global climate change.

    Illinois needs every tool at its disposal to do its part. For more than 20 years, geologists and engineers at the University of Illinois’s Prairie Research Institute (PRI) have been developing and evaluating methods for the safe capture, storage, and re-use of planet-warming CO2 from power plants and industrial operations.

    This process, called carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), can play a critical role in achieving the state’s decarbonization goals by capturing CO2 that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. CCUS is widely considered to be essential to meeting emission reduction goals called for in climate models.

    CCUS is not a replacement for renewable energy. It is another tool in our energy portfolio that helps balance energy and environmental needs. But many industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, aviation are difficult to electrify and the technologies to do so will take decades to develop. Without CCUS, these emissions will continue unabated into the atmosphere.

    The geology of Illinois is ideal for permanent CO2 storage, making the state well-positioned to become a regional hub for this technology. More than a mile underground is a geologic formation called the Mt. Simon Sandstone, which is a primary target for geologic storage of CO2, not only because of its suitability for storage but also its distance from groundwater aquifers, fossil fuels, and the low number of wells drilled into the sandstone.

    This formation is over a mile below the groundwater aquifers and there are multiple impermeable rock formations that act as natural barriers to protect water sources.

    From 2011–2014, the Illinois Basin-Decatur project (IBDP), a collaboration between PRI, the Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Schlumberger Carbon Services, and other subcontractors, stored approximately 1 million metric tons of CO2 into the Mt. Simon Sandstone under Decatur, paving the way for commercial use of the sandstone for CO2 storage. Since then, nearly 4 million tons of CO2 have been safely stored in the area—the equivalent impact of taking nearly 900,000 cars off the road for a year.

    That is only the beginning.

    Based on the extent of the ideal geology, the Illinois State Geologic Survey estimates that Mt. Simon Sandstone has the capacity to safely store tens of billions of tons of CO2.

    At the federal level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a regulatory framework under the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act that ensures the long-term, safe,
    and secure geologic sequestration of CO2.

    Federal policies alone are not enough for successful and responsible deployment of CCUS.

    A successful buildout of CCUS in Illinois requires new state policies that provide clarity in areas of transport, ownership, permitting, and safeguarding public health and the environment. These policies should prioritize proactive engagement with communities and stakeholders while addressing environmental justice concerns head on.

    Significant investments, planning, and community engagement will be required at every step. CCUS, if done responsibly, can benefit disadvantaged communities by reducing the air pollution these communities suffer from, providing new opportunities, and helping to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

    Public policies, investments, and other incentives or drivers for CCUS should complement, not replace, renewable energy and other solutions that directly reduce emissions.

    CCUS can play a critical role in combating climate change and decarbonizing the Illinois economy. However, deploying CCUS at a larger scale in Illinois will require robust governance to ensure these technologies are serving all Illinoisians.

    Sallie Greenberg, Ph.D. is a scientist, strategic advisor, and engagement specialist with over 30 years of experience in environmental and energy geosciences.

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