DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Google is entering a carbon capture partnership with Broadwing Energy at ADM's facility in Decatur, according to an announcement by the tech giant on Thursday.
According to Michael Terrell, Google Head of Advanced Energy, the project in Decatur supplements Google's desire to find enhanced geothermal, advanced nuclear and long-duration energy storage.
Terrell said natural gas with carbon capture and storage, known as CCS, is a critical source of clean firm power.
Google called its agreement with Broadwing a "first-of-its-kind corporate agreement to support a gas power plant with CCS."
Broadwing Energy will be located at ADM's Decatur facility. Broadwing is connected to Low Carbon Infrastructure (LCI), a Houston-based energy company.
Google said the new power plant with over 400 MW of generating capacity will be built on site. The CO2 generated by the plant will be permanently stored at ADM's EPA-approved sequestration facility more than a mile underground.
Google said the commercial operation should be up and running by early 2030, creating around 750 full-time jobs over the next four years. Dozens of permanent jobs would be needed to run the facility, including operational and maintenance positions.
President of Broadwing Energy and CEO of Low Carbon Infrastructure, Jonathan Wiens, said Decatur could expect other big players to follow suit after Google, especially with a new carbon sequestration hub in town.
"It's the first domino to fall for Decatur—that is going to be very impactful," Wiens said.
According to Broadwing, the CO2 will be injected into a geological formation called the Mt. Simon formation, which stretches beneath most of the Midwest. It is a sandstone reservoir.
Carbon capture and storage, according to Google, "works by capturing CO2 from a power plant or industrial facility and permanently storing it deep underground. Leading global institutions like The International Energy Agency (IEA) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) agree that it is a valuable tool, because it can significantly reduce emissions from power generation and carbon-intensive industries like steel manufacturing and cement production."
Broadwing said the plant in Decatur will be a low-carbon, gas-fired cogeneration power plant generating both electricity and process steam for industrial use, with 90% of the plant's carbon dioxide emissions going into underground storage.
LCI said Google will purchase a majority of the plant's power to support its Midwest data centers.
It is not clear what the total cost of the project will be.
Broadwing said the facility will "cultivate long-term economic activity and growth for the Decatur, Macon County and surrounding areas."
Friday, Illinois People's Action said the project threatens Decatur's water source (Lake Decatur) and disregards "known dangers of carbon sequestration."
“Google claims it will capture 90% of the CO2 produced at the new natural gas plant,” said Dawn Dannenbring, IPA Policy Director. “But a 2024 published report stated ADM’s first-in-the-nation CCS project showed only 10-12 percent of emissions were captured,” she said.
IPA, according to its website, is a progressive, multi-issue faith and community organization. The group says it works to help everyday people become partners in the decision-making process on justice issues impacting people's communities.
IPA said it was successful in leading opposition to a CCS permit in McLean County in 2024. The county board denied a permit for One Earth Sequestration. IPA said it plans to lead opposition to permitting at the local level for the Decatur project.
According to the Environmental Law Institute, some concerns about CCS are high expenses and the unknown impacts of long-term storage of this type. An article from the group also noted that limited regulatory framework creates uncertainty.
The Environmental Law Institute, according to its website, is a non-partisan research, publishing, and educational group tackling global environmental issues.
Right now, Broadwing said applications for permits are underway. Construction is expected to start in 2026. Steam and power generation would go online towards the end of 2029, with carbon capture operational in early 2030.
Earlier this year, WAND News reported the EPA cleared ADM to continue its carbon sequestration work after violating its underground injection permit. The issue came after the EPA said ADM didn't monitor a well in an unauthorized zone 5,000 feet below ground.
ADM and the EPA said carbon dioxide did not get above ground, and there was no threat to public health. Drinking water was also unaffected.
WAND News reached out to Google on Thursday, but did not receive a response to a request for more information.
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