North Dakota regulators on Friday approved a route permit for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, a significant win for what the company says is the world’s largest carbon capture project, according to a report in the North Dakota Monitor.
The three-person Public Service Commission voted unanimously to approve the pipeline permit. The commission had denied Summit a route permit in 2023, but changes the company made to its route helped convince the commission to reverse its position.
ReSource reported earlier this year that Summit was planning to tap the project finance market in early 2025.
Summit plans to put 333 miles of pipeline through North Dakota, part of a 2,500-mile network of pipelines in five states. The pipelines are planned to connect 57 ethanol plants, including Tharaldson Ethanol at Casselton, to an underground carbon storage site west of Bismarck.
“We commend and respect the North Dakota Public Service Commission for their diligence and thoughtful approach in reviewing this project,” Wade Boeshans, executive vice president of Summit Carbon Solutions, said in a news release. “This decision is a testament to North Dakota’s commitment to fostering innovation while working closely with communities and industries.”
Ethanol plants emit carbon dioxide as part of the fermentation process in turning corn into fuel. That carbon can be captured, compressed and put into a hazardous liquid pipeline.
Summit announced its plans in 2021 and had hoped to begin construction in 2023, but has faced pushback from some landowners and several legal challenges as it has tried to obtain the needed permits.
Supporters view the project as vital to helping the ethanol industry compete in low-carbon fuel markets. Ethanol is a key market for corn growers.
Opponents cite safety concerns, damage to farmland and property values and an infringement on property rights. Some landowners also have complained about Summit’s business practices.
by Jeff Beach, North Dakota Monitor
