The world’s largest bioethanol CCS plant, a pioneering project at ADM’s Nebraska complex, officially starts operations, marking a significant step in industrial decarbonisation with innovative pipeline infrastructure and regional storage solutions.
The world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility has officially commenced operations at Archer Daniels Midland’s (ADM) Corn Processing Complex in Columbus, Nebraska. This landmark project, established through a collaboration between ADM and Tallgrass Energy, is set to transport over 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually for permanent underground sequestration in Eastern Wyoming, positioning it as a pioneering effort in industrial decarbonisation within the bioethanol sector.
At the core of this initiative is Tallgrass’s Trailblazer pipeline, a repurposed natural gas transmission line running approximately 640 kilometres from Nebraska through Colorado and Wyoming. The US$1.5 billion pipeline conversion has enabled it to function solely for CO2 transportation, circumventing the need to build entirely new infrastructure and facilitating a more expedient and cost-effective solution for large-scale carbon capture. The project’s strategic use of existing assets reflects a growing trend in CCS projects to leverage infrastructure conversion to accelerate decarbonisation efforts.
ADM’s North American president, Chris Cuddy, emphasised the strategic importance of CCS technology in the company’s broader sustainability ambitions, stating, “CCS is an important part of our strategy to decarbonise our operations and help meet global demand for low-carbon ingredients.” This development aligns with ADM’s commitment to achieve a 25% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2035, highlighting the company’s recognition of the entire supply chain’s carbon footprint in its net-zero ambitions.
Up to this point, ADM has reportedly captured and stored over 3.9 million tonnes of CO2, signalling extensive experience in CCS which underpins the confidence to expand this capacity robustly. Beyond corn ethanol, ADM is also partnering with renewable energy company Gevo to convert ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), aiming to produce approximately 1.8 million litres per year from 3.4 million litres of ethanol. This diversification into SAF further demonstrates ADM’s holistic approach to decarbonising multiple facets of the bio-based fuels market.
The Trailblazer pipeline is already servicing other key bioethanol producers in the region, with Mid America Agri Products/Wheatland (MAAPW) in Madrid, Nebraska becoming the first to deliver captured CO2 to the pipeline earlier in October. MAAPW’s involvement underscores a regional commitment to innovation in ethanol production and carbon management, tracing back to the legacy of Robert “Bob” Lundeen, a pioneering figure in Nebraska’s ethanol industry.
Similarly, biofuels giant POET has connected its bioprocessing facility in Fairmont, Nebraska, to the pipeline, aiming to capture biogenic CO2 from its operations for transport and underground storage. POET’s participation signals growing industry momentum towards incorporating carbon capture technologies within biofuel production, leveraging existing pipeline infrastructure to minimise additional environmental and financial costs.
Beyond bioethanol, Tallgrass is leveraging the Trailblazer pipeline to advance carbon capture capabilities for other industrial sectors. The company has secured funding from the US Department of Energy to explore CCS applications for hydrogen production facilities using autothermal reforming technology, an area with significant potential for scaling industrial decarbonisation. This strategic diversification hints at broader ambitions for the pipeline to become a backbone for regional CO2 transportation and storage across multiple industries.
With the Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub under development, partially funded by the Wyoming Energy Authority, the region is emerging as a critical zone for permanent carbon storage, offering geological formations suitable for secure, long-term containment of CO2. This hub is integral to Tallgrass’s vision of a commercial-scale CCS network serving Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Overall, the collaboration between ADM and Tallgrass exemplifies the growing role of CCS in decarbonising agricultural processing and biofuel production, sectors that have historically been challenging to mitigate fully. By combining innovative pipeline repurposing, regional sequestration hubs, and strategic partnerships, this project is a landmark in industrial decarbonisation efforts, signalling actionable progress toward less carbon-intensive biofuel supply chains and a lower-carbon energy future.
- https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/world-s-largest-bioethanol-ccs-plant-opens-in-us/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.adm.com/en-us/news/news-releases/2025/11/adm-tallgrass-celebrate-opening-of-worlds-largest-bioethanol-carbon-capture-facility-in-columbus-nebraska/ – ADM and Tallgrass have inaugurated the world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture facility at ADM’s Corn Processing Complex in Columbus, Nebraska. The facility captures CO₂ from the ethanol plant and transports it via Tallgrass’s Trailblazer pipeline to the Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub for permanent underground storage. The Trailblazer pipeline, a repurposed 400-mile natural gas transmission line, runs through Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, capable of transporting over 10 million tons of CO₂ annually. This project underscores ADM’s commitment to decarbonising operations and meeting global demand for low-carbon ingredients.
- https://tallgrass.com/newsroom/press-releases/MAAPW – Mid America Agri Products/Wheatland (MAAPW) has commenced carbon dioxide capture at its Madrid, Nebraska, ethanol facility. The captured CO₂ is transported through Tallgrass’s Trailblazer Pipeline for permanent sequestration in Wyoming. This marks MAAPW as the first customer to deliver CO₂ to the pipeline, fulfilling the vision of founder Robert ‘Bob’ Lundeen, a pioneer in Nebraska’s ethanol industry, who believed in continuous innovation and bold investment for ethanol’s future.
- https://tallgrass.com/newsroom/press-releases/POET-02132025 – POET, the world’s largest producer of biofuels, and Tallgrass have entered into agreements to connect POET’s Fairmont, Nebraska bioprocessing facility to the Tallgrass Trailblazer CO₂ pipeline. Under this arrangement, the POET facility will capture bioCO₂ for transportation and permanent underground sequestration in Wyoming. Tallgrass is converting a natural gas pipeline to transport CO₂, minimising the need for additional infrastructure.
- https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/adm-ethanol-carbon-capture-facility-in-columbus-is-worlds-largest/ – Nebraska now hosts the world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture facility. ADM has begun operations for a new carbon capture and storage project at its Columbus corn processing complex, capturing CO₂ released during the ethanol fermentation process and feeding it into the Tallgrass Trailblazer pipeline for sequestration underground in eastern Wyoming. The Trailblazer pipeline, formerly a natural gas pipeline, runs nearly 400 miles from Beatrice to eastern Wyoming and will carry around 10 million tons of CO₂ annually from nearly a dozen ethanol plants.
- https://tallgrass.com/energy-solutions/CO2 – Tallgrass is advancing a project to convert its Trailblazer natural gas pipeline to a CO₂ transportation service, establishing an approximately 400-mile CO₂ pipeline to serve as the backbone of a regional CO₂ transportation system. This project will allow Tallgrass to capture, transport, and permanently sequester over 10 million tons of CO₂ per year from industries in Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming. Tallgrass is also developing a commercial-scale CO₂ sequestration hub in southeastern Wyoming, partially funded by a grant from the Wyoming Energy Authority.
- https://tallgrass.com/newsroom/press-releases/tallgrass-to-capture-and-sequester-co2-emissions-from-adm-corn-processing-complex-in-nebraska – Tallgrass has entered into an agreement with ADM to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) from ADM’s corn-processing complex in Columbus, Nebraska, and transport it to Tallgrass’ Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub for permanent underground storage. By utilizing a converted natural gas pipeline for CO₂ transportation, Tallgrass minimizes the need for new pipeline infrastructure while enabling ADM to further decarbonize its global operations and strengthen Nebraska’s agriculture industry.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is based on a press release issued by ADM on November 10, 2025, announcing the commencement of operations for a new carbon capture and storage project at its Columbus, Nebraska Corn Processing Complex. ([adm.com](https://www.adm.com/en-us/news/news-releases/2025/11/adm-tallgrass-celebrate-opening-of-worlds-largest-bioethanol-carbon-capture-facility-in-columbus-nebraska/?utm_source=openai)) This indicates high freshness, as the information is current and directly from the involved parties.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Chris Cuddy, president of North America at ADM, and Alison Nelson, segment president of CO₂ business development and origination at Tallgrass, are consistent with those found in the press release. ([adm.com](https://www.adm.com/en-us/news/news-releases/2025/11/adm-tallgrass-celebrate-opening-of-worlds-largest-bioethanol-carbon-capture-facility-in-columbus-nebraska/?utm_source=openai)) This consistency suggests that the quotes are accurately attributed and not reused from other sources.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from a press release issued by ADM, a reputable global leader in innovative solutions from nature. ([adm.com](https://www.adm.com/en-us/news/news-releases/2025/11/adm-tallgrass-celebrate-opening-of-worlds-largest-bioethanol-carbon-capture-facility-in-columbus-nebraska/?utm_source=openai)) This source is reliable and authoritative, providing direct information about the company’s operations.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims about the Trailblazer pipeline’s capacity to transport over 10 million tons of CO₂ per year and the project’s significance in decarbonising ADM’s operations are plausible and align with industry standards. The information is consistent with other reputable sources, such as the Associated Press, which reported on the project’s success and community support. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/650b7c3ac2ad30072794620d569608a5?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is a recent press release from ADM, providing original and accurate information about the opening of the world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture facility in Columbus, Nebraska. The quotes are consistent with the press release, and the source is reliable. The claims are plausible and corroborated by other reputable sources, indicating a high level of confidence in the information’s accuracy.
