Decarbonizing the West is the 2024 WGA Chair initiative of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon. The initiative examined how decarbonization strategies and technologies, including carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, direct air capture (DAC), and natural sequestration can position western states at the forefront of innovation and reduce the effects of carbon emissions on the environment. Through a series of workshops and webinars, WGA convened federal, state, local, tribal, and industry stakeholders to explore issues and themes relevant to the development and deployment of carbon dioxide removal technologies, including statutory and regulatory barriers, technical advancements and challenges, and emerging applications for carbon.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek kicked off the final workshop of the Decarbonizing the West initiative by speaking about the importance of interstate collaboration for successful decarbonization efforts.
“If our communities across the West are to thrive, we need to build a more resilient future that forges connection across our landscapes and brings rural and urban economies together on those solutions,” she said. " We must not be daunted by the speed and the scale of the changes on the landscape that we're already seeing in the West… With the support of the Western Governors, I think we can be a model for the nation to actually make progress.”
Watch session recordings here.
Current estimates suggest that there are 5,200 miles of existing pipelines suitable for transporting CO2. However, the nation’s carbon transport infrastructure will need to increase significantly if the carbon capture, utilization, and storage industry is going to reach its full potential.
With no federal entity overseeing the siting of interstate CO2 pipelines, developing this infrastructure can be a complicated process requiring multiple layers of review.
In this webinar, Scyller Borgum, the Underground Storage Market Lead at WSP, and Harry Warren, a Senior Consultant at the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office, discuss regulatory and permitting challenges associated with developing carbon transport infrastructure, as well as policy mechanisms that can be leveraged to advance transport projects.
Immediately following the announcement of Governor Gordon’s WGA Chair Initiative, he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Governor Jared Polis pledging to work together to advance the capabilities of direct air capture in their respective states.
“Technologies like direct air capture that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere are necessary tools to address climate change, and we applaud this bipartisan effort by Governor Polis and Governor Gordon to advance these technologies here in the West,” said Patrick Cummins, Senior Western Regional Policy Manager at Clean Air Task Force. “Colorado and Wyoming are leading efforts on carbon removal, and this new partnership will help the industry move forward while benefiting communities in both states.”
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Decarbonizing the West Initiative Report
Watch highlights as Governor Mark Gordon releases his final Decarbonizing the West initiative report at WGA's Annual Meeting in Olympic Valley, California.
Decarbonizing the West Gillette Workshop: Opening Remarks
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon launched his WGA Chair initiative, Decarbonizing the West, at Gillette College on September 21. During his opening remarks, he called on the West to put politics aside and unite in the name of decarbonization.
"There really is no challenge I can see that is more important for us to address responsibly, thoughtfully, and most importantly, honestly, than climate change - and that is what this initiative is about," Governor Gordon told the crowd at Gillette College. "If we can change the conversation from fossil [energy] bad, renewable [energy] good, to what do we do to make things work better, what do we do to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, what are our opportunities to grow our economy... We have a better shot of addressing this issue and leading the global charge."
Decarbonizing the West Gillette Workshop: Department of Energy Carbon Management Briefing with Brad Crabtree
In recent years, landmark federal legislation such as the IIJA and Inflation Reduction Act have created significant opportunities for the research and development of carbon management technologies, resulting in the largest investment into carbon management and commercialization provisions in decades.
At the Gillette Workshop of the Decarbonizing the West initiative, Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, spoke with Governor Gordon about the federal landscape as it relates to carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and ongoing DOE efforts to advance carbon capture technology development and implementation.
Decarbonizing the West Gillette workshop: Regulatory Implications for CCUS
Federal regulations including financial incentives and tax credits, leasing and siting, and well permitting for carbon storage create a complex regulatory landscape for CCUS development. During this panel, CCUS experts from around the region examined regulatory barriers that impede the research, development, and implementation of CCUS and other carbon dioxide removal technologies in the west.
Panelists: Matt Fry, Senior Policy Analyst, Great Plains Institute, Tara Righetti, Occidental Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, University of Wyoming, Stephen Fusilier, HQ Branch Chief, Rights-of-Way, Bureau of Land Management, Todd Parfitt, Director, Wyoming Dept. of Environmental Quality. Moderated by: Randall Luthi, Chief Energy Advisor, Office of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
Decarbonizing the West Gillette Workshop: CCUS Technology Showcase
Wyoming’s Integrated Test Center (ITC) is a research facility established to support the development of advanced carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies by providing a real-world testing environment for organizations and researchers working on innovative carbon dioxide removal in the industrial sector. During this panel, technology vendors at the ITC gave a technical overview of ITC projects and discussed the challenges and opportunities for CCUS development in western states.
Panelists: Yutaro Hara, Assistant Manager, CCUS Section, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Brice Freeman, Director of Carbon Capture, Membrane Technology and Research, Ambal Jayaraman, Principal Engineer, TDA Research, Howard Meyer, Senior Institute Engineer, GTI Energy. Moderated by: Will Morris, Technical Director, Integrated Test Center.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's opening remarks
The second workshop of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's WGA Chair initiative, Decarbonizing the West, was held in Boise, Idaho, on December 12 and 13.
The two-day workshop focused on topics related to natural carbon sequestration, including agriculture, forestry, and land management. It featured roundtable discussions with experts from around the region, as well as remarks from Governor Gordon and Idaho Governor Brad Little.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Balancing Carbon Stewardship Management Goals
Forests and grasslands sequester about 14 percent of the United States’ carbon emissions and represent one of the largest opportunities for large-scale carbon removal. Management actions can be strategically selected to optimize carbon sequestration and storage while meeting other management objectives. This is a delicate balancing act, however, that increases the potential for unintentional outcomes.
This panel examined the nuances of carbon stewardship and the potential benefits of carbon optimization projects on forests and rangelands.
Panelists: Matt DiBona, District Biologist, National Wild Turkey Federation; Jim Elbin, Trust Lands Division Administrator, Idaho Department of Lands; and Katharyn Duffy, Director of Science Operations, Vibrant Planet.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Incentivizing Carbon Reductions
Voluntary carbon markets have emerged as a dynamic and evolving method of reducing carbon emissions. These markets allow businesses, organizations, and individuals to take proactive steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon markets can drive innovation, support sustainable projects, and promote environmental stewardship. In recent years, these markets have expanded, presenting both challenges and opportunities to meet carbon reduction goals.
This panel explored the potential pitfalls and opportunities to support broader carbon dioxide reduction activities through voluntary carbon markets.
Panelists: Brian DiMarino, Head of Operational Sustainability, JP Morgan Chase; Matt Bright, Director of External Affairs, CarbonCapture Inc.; and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Innovative Finance for Carbon Benefits
Healthy forests are a prerequisite for natural carbon sequestration, but funding can be a limiting factor for forest restoration or afforestation projects. Innovative strategies for providing forestry assistance have demonstrated that unconventional approaches can yield significant carbon sequestration benefits. Instead of relying exclusively on public resources, these strategies leverage a mixture of funding sources, technical assistance, and other resources to support forest health and carbon sequestration.
In this panel, participants discussed how innovative finance mechanisms and partnerships can catalyze investment in natural climate solutions.
Panelists: Mary Mitsos, President and CEO, National Forest Foundation; Luke Hawbaker, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, Mast Reforestation; and Jill Ozarski, Program Officer, Environment, Walton Family Foundation. Moderated By: John Oppenheimer, Government Relations Director, Idaho Conservation League.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Idaho Governor Brad Little's opening remarks
The second workshop of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's WGA Chair initiative, Decarbonizing the West, was held in Boise, Idaho, on December 12 and 13.
The two-day workshop will focus on topics related to natural carbon sequestration, including agriculture, forestry, and land management. It will feature roundtable discussions with carbon capture experts from around the region, including the Idaho National Laboratory, as well as remarks from Governor Gordon and Idaho Governor Brad Little.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Dairy Digesters and Agricultural Waste
Digesters can significantly mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production by capturing methane that would otherwise be released from manure. The resulting biogas can be used to meet on-farm energy needs or sold on the market.
This panel explored the opportunities, challenges, and benefits for biogas recovery and how digester systems can contribute to overall emissions reduction in the agricultural sector.
Panelists: Andre Brasil, Senior Director, Business Development, California BioEnergy LLC, John Olshefski, Ingevity - Neufeul, Jesse Burson, Supply Development Lead, Renewable Natural Gas, Shell Moderated by: Rick Naerebout, Chief Executive Officer, Idaho Dairymen’s Association.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Climate-Smart Agriculture
This panel examined ways to increase adoption rates of climate-aware practices - one of the most effective ways to reduce the effects of carbon emissions from the agriculture sector. Incentivizing new practices, compensating producers for less-efficient yields, and building demand for agriculture-based carbon markets are a few of the approaches to accelerate adoption by producers.
Panelists: Bill Jaeger, Strategic Initiatives Officer, LOR Foundation; Myles Gray, Program Director, U.S. Biochar Initiative; Tony Schoonen, Chief Executive Officer, Boone and Crocket Club; moderated by Kristen Boysen, Managing Director, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Drought and Climate Office.
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Decarbonizing through Integrated Energy Systems
Idaho National Laboratory’s Integrated Energy Systems Program, supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, conducts research, development, and deployment activities to expand the role of nuclear energy beyond the grid for various industrial, transportation, and energy storage applications. INL’s work on integrated energy systems and other research areas such as biomass, hydrogen, ammonia, and nuclear for heat and electricity generation can enhance the utilization of low or non-emitting energy generation, bolster grid resiliency, and help achieve clean energy economy goals.
The panel discussed various decarbonization pathways and provided insights on the techno-economic and socio-economic effects of deployment on the energy economy.
Panelists: Eric Dufek, Department Manager, Energy Storage & Electric Transportation Department, Seth Snyder, Program Director, Energy, Environment Science and Technology, David Thompson, Chief Scientist, Bioenergy, Ning Kang, Department Manager, Power and Energy Systems. Moderated by: Todd Combs, Associate Laboratory Director
Decarbonizing the West Boise Workshop: Carbon Storage in Mass Timber
Forests are excellent at sequestering carbon into biomass, but less effective at retaining carbon over long timescales. Stabilizing forest carbon within long-lived building materials presents a powerful opportunity to not only mitigate carbon emissions from wildfires and decomposition but also to defray the costs of forest health treatments. Achieving these dual benefits requires growing both the supply chains for mass timber products as well as the markets for utilizing them.
This panel examined strategies for expanding mass timber utilization and its benefits for forest restoration economics and natural carbon sequestration.
Panelists: Jennifer Okerlund, Director, Idaho Forest Products Commission; Bill Parsons, Chief Operating Officer, WoodWorks – Wood Product Council; Julie Kies, U.S. Forest Service, Wood Innovations Program Manager. Moderated by: Rachael Jamison, Vice President, Markets and Sustainability, American Wood Council.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Opening Remarks from Governors Jared Polis and Mark Gordon
The third workshop of Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s WGA Chair initiative, Decarbonizing the West, was held at the Art Hotel in Denver, Colorado on February 7 and 8.
This workshop, hosted by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, examined issues related to carbon removal technologies including direct air capture (DAC), carbon transport, and geologic carbon storage.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Commercialization Pathways for Direct Air Capture
The direct air capture (DAC) industry is still in its nascent stages, with many new technologies and companies in the early stages of development. Taking these technologies from lab-scale research to large-scale DAC facilities capable of removing gigatons of CO2 requires significant funding and carries a distinct set of risks at each stage. This panel explored pathways to the commercialization of direct air capture and large-scale carbon removal, from the lab to the market.
Panelists: Max Scholten, Head of Commercialization, Heirloom Carbon, and Anil Prabhu, Chief of Carbon Management Branch, California Air Resources Board. Moderated By: Eli Cain, Project Manager, National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Regional and Collaborative Approaches to Carbon Removal
Strong partnerships and collaborative efforts can be valuable not only in scaling up technologies for commercial use, but also for the environmental and economic benefits they may provide. Recognizing that states have unique capabilities that can be complementary to the resources of other states and can be significant to encouraging the development and deployment of DAC, CCUS, and transport technologies across the West. This panel discussed how collaborative approaches to carbon management and technology development, such as capture hubs, cooperative agreements, and memoranda of understanding, can help facilitate regional solutions to carbon reduction.
Panelists: Newsha Ajami, Chief Strategic Development Officer for Research, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Matt Fry, Senior Policy Manager, Carbon Removal, Great Plains Institute; and Kenn Kerr, Senior Vice President of Commercialization, Global Thermostat, Moderated By: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Hard to Abate Industries
Heavy, energy-intensive sectors like mining and oil and gas offer substantial potential for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and other carbon dioxide removal technologies. Hard-to-abate industries including steel, cement, and petrochemicals require the use of carbon in their manufacturing process, account for an estimated 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and could benefit from CCUS to reduce point source emissions. Collaborating with these industries will drive the advancement and implementation of CCUS technologies forward. This panel discussed how technical partnerships with these sectors can play a significant role in carbon reduction.
Panelists: Cully Cavness, Co-Founder and President, Crusoe Energy; Melissa Carey, Head of Climate, ESG, and Government Affairs, Holcim US; and Thomas Price, Energy Analyst, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office. Moderated By: Angela Seligman, Senior Carbon Capture Policy Manager, Clean Air Task Force.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Stakeholder Engagement and Social License to Operate
Public perception of carbon management is a significant barrier to deploying carbon capture and storage technologies at scale. This is due in part to a lack of education and understanding of the technologies at play and the complexity of the energy system as a whole. Educational programs at all levels and community outreach can help inform the public on the benefits of these systems. This panel addressed social barriers to the development of carbon removal projects and will explore best practices for stakeholder and tribal engagement.
Panelists: Quinn Antus, Carbon Management and CDR Program Manager, Colorado Energy Office; Anna Littlefield, CCUS Program Manager, Payne Institute at Colorado School of Mines, Dana Gava, Physical Scientist – UIC Class VI Implementation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Kelli Roemer, Social Science Program Advisor, U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. Moderated By: Joey Minervini, Public Affairs Manager – Americas, Global CCS Institute.
Decarbonizing the West Denver workshop: Integrating DAC with Renewable Energy
DAC technologies can be resource and energy-intensive and as the industry grows, so will its demand on infrastructure, land use, and renewable energy. The DAC industry is mitigating some of these challenges by developing less energy-intensive technologies or innovative operating strategies that use existing infrastructure or waste energy. Panelists discussed opportunities in policy and technology development that could help direct air capture integrate into existing systems and avoid potential conflict as the industry grows.
Panelists: David Luebke, Technical Director – NETL Direct Air Capture Center, National Energy Technology Laboratory; and Patricia Loria, Vice President of Business Development, CarbonCapture Inc., Moderated By: Kyle Clark-Sutton, Manager, Carbon Removal Policy, Rocky Mountain Institute.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Establishing Frameworks for Long-Term Carbon Storage
Monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA), provide assurance of permanence for geologic carbon storage and is a necessary factor in determining risk and long-term liabilities for carbon storage. Operators face challenges in assessing and managing gradual and uncertain risks associated with carbon storage, including environmental threats like groundwater contamination and induced seismicity. The burden of long-term liability for storage projects often detracts developers and investors.
This panel discussed how advancements in MVA can help address challenges associated with long-term geologic carbon storage, including risks and liability.
Panelists: Ashleigh Ross, Vice President and Head of Commercial Development and Policy, Carbon America; Lily Barkau, Groundwater Section Manager, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality; and Alicia Summers, Chief Development Officer, Frontier Carbon Solutions, Moderated By Jeff Kummer, Chief Executive Officer, Meriden Carbon LLC.
Decarbonizing the West Denver Workshop: Developing Transportation for Storage and Utilization
Addressing carbon transport will be an essential step in advancing carbon capture and removal technologies and is critical for storage or utilization. Lack of existing infrastructure, paired with lengthy timelines and complicated permitting processes, pose limitations to the siting and development of carbon removal projects. This becomes increasingly challenging on public lands and interstate crossings. This panel explored policy and market strategies to advance the buildout of carbon transport projects.
Panelists: Anna Pavlova, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Market Development and Sustainability, Carbon Quest; Kevin Connors, Assistant Director for Regulatory Compliance and Energy Policy, UND Energy and Environmental Research Center; and Chris Swanston, Director, Office of Climate and Sustainability, U.S. Forest Service. Moderated By: Savita Bowman, Senior Program Manager, ClearPath.
