In the United States (US), Mid America Agri Products/Wheatland LLC (MAAPW) has announced the start of carbon dioxide capture at its Madrid, Nebraska, ethanol facility, with volumes to be transported on Tallgrass’ Trailblazer Pipeline for permanent sequestration in Wyoming becoming the first ethanol plant to do so.
For MAAPW, becoming the first customer to deliver carbon dioxide (CO2) to the Trailblazer pipeline represents more than a technical achievement — it fulfills the vision of founder Robert “Bob” Lundeen.
This achievement honors my father’s belief in acting boldly for the future. By partnering with Tallgrass on the Trailblazer project, we’re securing value for our employees, creating stable demand for local corn growers, and ensuring benefits flow directly into the community that supports us, said Tina Lundeen Smith, Chairperson of the board and EVP of Business Development at MAAPW.
A pioneer in Nebraska’s ethanol industry, Lundeen believed ethanol’s future depended on continuous innovation and bold investment.
Trailblazer helps us make ethanol more competitive in low-carbon markets. It reinforces Nebraska’s ag economy by paving the way for new decarbonized markets and stronger rural economies. We are especially grateful for the hard work and leadership of our plant manager, Mike Kluthe, and for the dedication of our employees, whose commitment makes this achievement possible, added Prestin Read, CEO of MAAPW.
Commissioned in 2007, MAAPW’s state-of-the-art ethanol operates 24/7 year-round, grinding approximately 16.5 million bushels of corn to produce around 48 million (US) gallons (≈ 182 million litres) of ethanol annually.
Thanks to the vision of Nebraskans like Bob Lundeen, the state is now positioned at the forefront of the biofuel industry. We are incredibly proud to work alongside MAAPW and others across Nebraska to make large-scale carbon capture a reality and demonstrate how rural economies can thrive while setting the standard for global energy innovation, said Alison Nelson, Segment President of CO2 Business Development and Origination at Tallgrass.
The facility also generates 400,000 tonnes of Wet Distillers’ Grains with Solubles (WDGS), 16.5 million pounds of distillers’ corn oil (DCO) for biodiesel production, and 140,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon dioxide (bioCO2) annually, the latter of which is now piped for sequestration.
This project strengthens the entire biofuels ecosystem, enabling the production of low-carbon, high-value fuels and feedstocks, while unlocking new markets for Nebraska’s products and new opportunities for its communities, ended Kyle Quackenbush, Segment President of Commercial Operations at Tallgrass.
