Google's bets on carbon capture power plants, which have a mixed record

Core Insights - Google is investing in a natural gas power plant in Illinois that aims to capture approximately 90% of its carbon emissions [1][2] - The power plant will have a capacity of 400 megawatts and will be located next to an ethanol plant operated by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) [1] - The project is being developed by Low Carbon Infrastructure, and Google plans to purchase most of the electricity generated for its data centers [1] Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Performance - The power plant's carbon dioxide will be injected into geological storage formations already utilized by ADM's ethanol facility, which is the site of the first long-term CO2 storage well in the U.S. [2] - A recent study of 13 CCS facilities indicates that many are not meeting their carbon capture expectations, with an ExxonMobil facility capturing 36% less than anticipated [5] - A similar Canadian power plant has only captured about 50% of the promised carbon emissions [5] Environmental Impact Considerations - While CCS can reduce emissions from natural gas power generation, it does not address methane leaks throughout the natural gas supply chain, which is a significant greenhouse gas [6] - Methane has a warming potential 84 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, and even with carbon capture, the overall warming impact from natural gas extraction and transportation remains [6][7] - Leakage rates as low as 2% can make burning natural gas comparable to coal in terms of carbon accounting [7]