As companies pursue increasingly ambitious climate goals, many are exploring solutions that can complement emissions reduction efforts and help address emissions that remain difficult to eliminate. One solution gaining attention is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS.
BECCS captures carbon dioxide from biogenic sources, such as plant-based materials, and stores it deep underground in carefully selected geological formations. By combining renewable biomass with long-term carbon storage, BECCS has emerged as one of several approaches being deployed to help support long-term decarbonization strategies.
While that growth would be significant, it would still represent only a fraction of the carbon removals needed to support global net-zero ambitions. As demand for durable carbon removals grows, organizations are increasingly seeking solutions capable of delivering meaningful volumes in the near term. Ethanol-based BECCS has emerged as one of the most commercially mature and scalable carbon removal pathways currently being deployed.
Here's more about how BECCS works, why ethanol facilities are a strong fit for BECCS systems, how geological storage supports durable carbon removal, where BECCS fits within a broader decarbonization strategy, and how Anew can help.
What is BECCS?
In BECCS, carbon dioxide (CO₂) from biomass that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere is captured and stored in deep geological formations. Bioethanol facilities represent one of the most established applications for BECCS today.
A renewable fuel, bioethanol is produced from plants such as corn or sugarcane that absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere as they grow. Through photosynthesis, carbon becomes incorporated into the plant's stalks, leaves, and kernels. During ethanol production, microorganisms convert plant sugars into alcohol, naturally releasing CO₂ as a byproduct of the fermentation process.
The resulting ethanol can be used as a transportation fuel or other energy source. Ethanol is also expected to play a critical role in emerging lower-carbon fuel pathways, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production. In the absence of BECCS, the CO₂ generated during fermentation is typically released back into the atmosphere. In BECCS projects, that CO₂ is captured, compressed, and transported for storage in carefully selected geological formations, such as deep saline aquifers. These storage sites are monitored and verified to help ensure the CO₂ remains securely contained over the long term.
Why Ethanol Has Emerged as a Leading BECCS Application
In recent years, companies have announced BECCS projects across a range of sectors, including power generation, hydrogen production, cement manufacturing, and industrial heat applications. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), dozens of new BECCS projects could come online by 20301.
Today, however, the vast majority of operating BECCS systems are located at bioethanol facilities1. Many of the largest projects are found in the United States, including in states such as Illinois, North Dakota, and Texas.
The concentration of BECCS projects at ethanol facilities is driven by several characteristics that make ethanol production particularly well suited for carbon capture and storage:
High-purity CO₂ streams
Bioethanol fermentation produces highly concentrated CO₂ streams, often exceeding 95% purity2. Because the CO₂ requires relatively little processing before compression and storage, capture can be more straightforward than in many other industrial applications.
Lower capture costs
The concentrated nature of fermentation emissions can also reduce capture costs compared to sectors where CO₂ must be separated from more dilute exhaust streams. According to the Renewable Fuels Association and the U.S. Government Accountability Office, capture costs at ethanol facilities can be among the lowest across major carbon capture applications2. Lower capture costs may also help support broader deployment of durable carbon removal solutions over time, particularly compared to pathways that require significantly higher energy inputs or more complex capture systems.
Existing infrastructure and favorable geology
Many U.S. ethanol facilities are in regions with access to transportation networks and geological formations suitable for long-term CO₂ storage, supporting the development of commercial-scale projects.
Ethanol production also generates valuable coproducts. For example, corn-based ethanol facilities produce distillers grains, a high-protein livestock feed that remains available after fermentation. Capturing CO₂ from the fermentation process does not affect the production of these coproducts. In addition, some ethanol producers are working with growers implementing climate-smart agriculture practices designed to help lower the carbon intensity of corn production over time.
Ethanol-based BECCS can also contribute to decarbonization of the transportation sector, where emissions can be particularly challenging and costly to eliminate. By pairing renewable fuel production with carbon capture and storage, ethanol facilities can help support lower-carbon transportation fuels while generating durable carbon removals.
The United States has been an early leader in ethanol-based carbon capture and storage, with more than two decades of project development experience and several large-scale facilities in operation. Interest is now expanding globally. Commercial-scale carbon capture projects have recently begun operating in parts of Europe, including Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, while Canada is actively developing frameworks to support future deployment.
How Durable and Safe is Storing CO₂ Underground?
When properly designed, monitored, and regulated, geological storage is widely regarded as one of the most durable approaches to carbon removal available today.
The concept is based on well-understood geological processes. Oil, natural gas, and naturally occurring CO₂ have remained trapped in underground rock formations for millions of years, demonstrating the ability of certain geological structures to securely contain gases over long periods of time. Decades of experience with underground gas storage and carbon capture projects have further contributed to the scientific understanding of how CO₂ can be safely injected, monitored, and stored.
Geological storage is a key reason BECCS is often categorized as a durable carbon removal pathway. Once captured and injected into suitable geological formations, the CO₂ can remain isolated from the atmosphere for very long periods when storage sites are appropriately selected, operated, and monitored.
Another advantage is scalability. The United States and Canada possess significant geological storage potential, including deep saline formations and other suitable reservoirs capable of supporting future carbon capture and storage projects.
Regulatory frameworks also play an important role. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators oversee underground injection programs designed to protect groundwater resources and ensure safe storage practices. Similar monitoring, reporting, and verification frameworks are being developed or expanded in other regions as carbon removal markets continue to mature.
As deployment increases, infrastructure is also evolving. According to the International Energy Agency, expanding CO₂ transportation and storage networks will be important to supporting broader adoption of carbon capture technologies, including BECCS.
Where BECCS Fits in a Decarbonization Strategy
Reducing emissions remains the foundation of any credible climate strategy. Companies typically begin by improving operational efficiency, transitioning to lower-carbon energy sources, and addressing emissions throughout their value chains. However, even with significant progress, some emissions may remain difficult to eliminate entirely.
This is where carbon removal solutions such as BECCS can play a complementary role. Rather than replacing emissions reduction efforts, BECCS can help address hard-to-abate residual emissions while supporting long-term climate objectives.
Because BECCS removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores it in geological formations, it is considered a durable carbon removal pathway. For companies planning toward long-term net-zero commitments, durable removals can provide an additional tool alongside emissions reductions, supply-chain interventions, and other environmental market solutions.
BECCS may be particularly relevant for organizations seeking access to scalable sources of durable carbon removal. As demand for high-quality removals continues to grow, ethanol-based BECCS projects are emerging as one of the more commercially mature pathways available today.
When incorporated into a broader portfolio of climate solutions, BECCS can help companies address residual emissions while continuing to prioritize direct emissions reductions across their operations and value chains.
How Anew Climate Can Help
As interest in durable carbon removal continues to grow, organizations face important decisions about project quality, portfolio design, and long-term procurement strategies. Understanding how solutions such as ethanol-based BECCS fit within broader climate goals requires careful evaluation of project development practices, carbon accounting methodologies, and storage approaches.
Anew helps organizations navigate these decisions through experience across carbon markets, project development, and environmental commodity procurement. In addition to supporting the development and commercialization of carbon projects, Anew works with buyers to evaluate how emerging carbon removal pathways fit within broader decarbonization strategies.
To learn more about ethanol-based BECCS and its role within a broader carbon management strategy, contact our carbon team.
1. International Energy Agency
2. Renewable Fuels Association