Environment + Energy Leader magazine has recognized the Illinois Basin – Decatur Project, a partnership between Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM) and the Illinois Geological Survey at the University of Illinois, as a Top Project of the Year for 2022. The award recognizes exemplary work being done today in the fields of energy and environmental management.

The Illinois Basin – Decatur Project is the world’s first successful completion of a pure storage carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Led by the University of Illinois and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the project confirmed the ability of Mt. Simon Sandstone to safely store one million metric tons of CO₂ over a period of three years, the equivalent of annual emissions from about 200,000 passenger cars, according to the U.S. EPA calculator.

“ADM’s project is fantastic,” said one of the judges. “The world truly needs pure storage CCS projects in order to overcome climate change, and it is therefore incredible to learn that this has been the first successful completion of such a project.”

“We have now demonstrated CO₂ can be safely injected a mile and a half under the earth, setting a new milestone for the world’s understanding and ability to implement industrial CCS systems,” said Chris Cuddy, President, Carbohydrate Solutions for ADM. “This project is paving the way to scale the impact of CCS technology as ADM continues to decarbonize its footprint, while also applying this cutting-edge technology to reduce CO₂ emissions and deliver more sustainable solutions for our customers.”

To date, ADM’s overall carbon capture and sequestration capabilities, including the Illinois-Basin Decatur Project and a second well, the Illinois Industrial Sources Carbon Capture and Storage Project, have allowed it to safely and permanently store more than 3.5 million metric tons of CO₂. ADM is continuing to explore expanded capacity for the existing CCS wells in Decatur and recently announced a project with Wolf Carbon Solutions, who will develop, own and operate a 350-mile pipeline to transport CO₂ from ADM’s ethanol and cogeneration facilities in Clinton and Cedar Rapids, Iowa to be stored permanently underground in the Illinois Basin. Additionally, ADM announced in 2021 an agreement with 8 Rivers to explore the potential to construct a zero-emissions power plant adjacent to ADM’s Decatur corn complex that will also utilize the CCS site.

Learn more about the ways ADM is advancing its decarbonization strategy here.

About the Environment + Energy Leader Awards

For the past decade, the Environment + Energy Leader Awards have celebrated excellence in the world of environmental, sustainability and energy management. Award winners are truly buzz-worthy, and companies that sport a Top Project or Top Product of the Year Award badge are known to be the best of the best. When other companies are seeking a sustainability or energy management solution, they know that E+E Product of the Year Award winners offer a significant group of products, vetted by experts, to peruse for help in making their decisions. Project of the Year Award winners are known to illustrate how sustainability and energy management projects can successfully help other companies improve the bottom line.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re a premier global human and animal nutrition company, delivering solutions today with an eye to the future. We’re blazing new trails in health and well-being as our scientists develop groundbreaking products to support healthier living. We’re a cutting-edge innovator leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. We’re an unmatched agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. And we’re a leader in sustainability, scaling across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow. Learn more at www.adm.com.