Google in partnership to prove viability of CCS-enabled cogeneration

Infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, together with its portfolio company Low Carbon Infrastructure (LCI), has partnered with Google to develop Broadwing Energy, a natural gas-fired cogeneration plant integrated with CCS.

Broadwing Energy is a new 400MW power generation project located in Decatur, Illinois, in the US.

The natural gas-fired cogeneration power plant will generate more than 1.5 million pounds of steam an hour and will be integrated with CCS technology, which, says I Squared capital, means it has the potential to permanently sequester over two million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

According to I Squared Capital, the project marks the first-ever corporate offtake agreement for a CCS-enabled power plant, with the plant supplying electricity to Google and electricity and steam to Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), an agricultural processing company.

Once fully operational, more than 90% of the CO2 produced by the plant will be captured, compressed and injected into wells stored permanently more than a mile underground.

Gautam Bhandari, Global Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of I Squared, highlighted the importance of collaboration between stakeholders in working to achieve decarbonisation goals.

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“This partnership underscores how private investment, technology innovation and corporate energy demand can come together to deliver scalable climate solutions.”

Michael Terrell, Head of Advanced Energy at Google, added: “By entering into this agreement with LCI, we hope to help prove and scale a valuable source of clean, firm power. We’re excited to support LCI in their pioneering efforts, both at Broadwing Energy and across the broader portfolio they are developing in the US.”

Broadwing Energy will make use of Mitsubishi Power’s M501JAC gas turbine, a high-capacity turbine for 60 Hz power generation

Kiewit Power Constructors are providing EPC services, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. Carbon capture will be operational early 2030.

In an effort to drive industrial decarbonisation, as well as expand cleaner firm power, I Squared and LCI are looking to develop several similar CCS-enabled facilities.