In October of 2023 the Blue Flint facility began active Co2 injection, after receiving final approval from the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources to start this process.

This is a large step forwards for the United States and for the company, Harvestone, itself as it is the first facility in the United States to begin operations under the Inflation Reduction Act. Whilst it is also the second facility located within North Dakota which is designed to actively capture and inject Co2 under Class 6 primacy.

200,000 metric tons of Co2 are produced annually from the Blue Flint Ethanol plant. Co2 is produced as a byproduct of the fermentation process. However, this step forwards have enabled Blue Flint to significantly reduce the amount of damage they are causing to the environment, through the use of CCS. Blue Flint has managed to capture 100% of their Co2 emissions from the fermentation process, through using CCS. Once captured, the company is able to inject an estimated 600 metric tons of Co2 daily. This Co2 is then stored permanently underground, at an estimated one mile below the surface, in the Broom Creek formation.

Harvestone CEO, Jeff Zueger, commented, “We are excited to reach this milestone in our larger initiative called Vision Carbon ZERO, a multi-phased approach to reducing our fuel’s carbon intensity to zero. This project is a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a steady market for North Dakota as we build a renewable, and sustainable energy future.” 

Lieutenant Governor Tammy Miller and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, plus representatives from the state’s congressional delegation, spoke at the launch event. Miller said, “Congratulations to Harvestone on this exciting milestone in commencing carbon capture and storage. This accomplishment is a win for farmers, Blue Flint Ethanol and all Americans, because anytime we can improve the long-term viability of homegrown fuels and reduce our reliance on foreign sources, we’re strengthening national security, protecting the environment and holding down energy costs for consumers.”

The Industrial Commission consists of Wrigley, Goehring, and Burgum as Chair. Burgum, Wrigley and Goehring added in a joint statement, “The North Dakota Industrial Commission is pleased to see the vision that was first announced more than three years ago come to fruition. We were happy to provide over $6.5 million in grant funding for this project through the Lignite Research Program and the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, which Harvestone matched with over $66 million in private investments. Successful implementation of carbon capture technology remains critical to ensuring the resilience of North Dakota’s energy industry.”