WMU Receives $5M Boost from DOE for Regional Carbon Capture and Storage Effort

Western Michigan University to Advance Carbon Capture with $5M DOE Grant

The Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management of the U.S. Department of Energy will grant $5 million to Western Michigan University. This money will be utilized in a $44.5 million project to advance commercial-scale carbon capture, transport, and storage throughout the United States. The assistant director of the university's Michigan Geological Survey, Dr. Autumn Haagsma was excited about the grant as the universities are capable of providing the multidisciplinary approach that is required for carbon collection, usage, and storage.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is used to remove carbon emissions from industrial plants or factories and store them underground. With at least 70 gigatons of CO2 storage capacity in five major reservoirs and unknown potential in many others, the Michigan Basin has great potential for carbon capture and storage. Through research opportunities and networking with industry professionals, the University students will have the chance to get training with emerging CCUS innovation. Paid summer internships will also be available, beginning in the summer of 2025.

Selected as one of nine leaders for a regional project funded by the DOE, the University will lead an interdisciplinary initiative to improve carbon management in Michigan. The aim is to make it equitable and environmentally responsible by framing a roadmap to carbon capture, utilization, and storage in Michigan. The assistant secretary for fossil energy and carbon management, Brad Crabtree, stated that the DOE wants to use the experience to help a variety of stakeholders create regional projects with valuable information and resources to improve carbon storage and transportation and lower emissions throughout the American economy.

The Michigan Geological Survey team at Western will lead the project, supported by researchers and industry experts across various fields. Haagsma highlighted the diverse expertise involved, including transportation routing, community engagement, utilization opportunities, and risk management, which makes this partnership exciting. The project will involve several key collaborators as Battelle, the largest nonprofit research and development organization, assists with 3D modeling and scenario analysis to assess subsurface impacts. Carbon Solutions, a Michigan-based firm, will handle transportation route analysis, while Miami University of Ohio will focus on evaluating CCUS risks, including induced seismicity. Michigan Technological University will explore various CO2 storage options, and the National Tribal Energy Association will facilitate communication with tribal communities.

Rock Locker, a Michigan company founded by Western alumni, will examine synergistic and competitive uses of subsurface areas. Researchers from the University of Michigan will investigate CO2 utilization opportunities and conduct life cycle analyses. The three-year grant aims to create valuable resources, including a directory of companies and organizations for CCUS projects and a county-by-county map of potential sites across Michigan.

Editor's Note:

Western Michigan University has received a substantial $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the development of carbon capture and storage technology. WMU will be able to take the lead in an innovative regional project that will provide fair and practical carbon management solutions with this funding. To address important facets of carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS), the project will make use of a broad network of partners and experts. Its objectives are to lower carbon emissions and promote innovation in this crucial area. 

Skoobuzz congratulates Michigan University for the grant and hopes that students will learn the intricacies of the work by joining the training of  CCUS innovation