October 2022
Carbon Optimum CEO Alix Stroiazzo Mougin alongside U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, Lieutenant Governor David Toland, and other notable figures— came together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Great Plains Industrial Park in Kansas. The site is recognized as the first carbon-neutral industrial park in the country, putting the region on the map for its environmentally aligned initiatives.
As carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration quickly become a priority at a congressional level, projects like the Great Plains Industrial Park serve as a blueprint of what a circular industrial park can look like. Through the neutralization and removal of CO2 from a variety of inputs, Carbon Optimum looks to photobioreactors filled with microalgae to develop scalable solutions to the climate crisis.
Carbon Optimum is positioned to forward roadmaps set out by a variety of federal agencies — like the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation – that prioritize the development and use of biomass and biofuels. This project at the Great Plains Industrial Park is a long-waited solution that the scientific community, federal agencies, climate activists, and private entities have been advocating for.
Multiple CO2 emitters in proximity — like hydrogen production, cement factories, coal power plants, and oil refineries— are candidates for Carbon Optimum’s technology. This partnership with the Great Plains Industrial Park, Labette County, and the State of Kansas is representative of a commitment to reducing the state’s carbon footprint to net neutrality. There is vested interest in pursuing various projects that prioritize national energy security, bioenergy, and biofuel production, Kansas sits at the forefront in federal efforts to create viable biomass output options.
Carbon Optimum’s involvement contributes to the Great Plains Industrial Park’s carbon-neutral status. Through the biological conversion of CO2 via microalgae metabolization, biomass is altered into biofuels, fertilizers, animal feed, and nutraceutical compounds, among other high-value products. The result is an efficient method of capturing CO2 from a variety of industrial emissions and waste streams. Carbon Optimum’s algae-centered approach is particularly positioned to benefit animal and fish feed market due to the fact that CO2-based algae offers a range of nutrients normally found in marine ecosystems.
In addition to providing permanent removal of carbon dioxide, this investment into the Great Plains Industrial Park is slated to increase economic prosperity and employment opportunities, while supporting the Labette County community. With support from state legislation, like the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Act, there’s a tremendous potential for reducing carbon emissions from existing industries through Carbon Optimum’s technology and positioning Kansas as a leader in the country.
One can view this partnership with the Great Plains Industrial Parks as one of many projects as Carbon Optimum continues to expand its footprint and leverage commercial-proven technology to aid economic development while positioning CO2 as a tool for circularity.