Last week, the Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds called for investing state funds in carbon capture research.
Reynolds has made public statements that she does not endorse direct funding of the proposed carbon pipelines by the state.
Instead, Reynolds suggested that the public’s funds be spent on supporting research conducted by Iowa State University with a focus on what local farmers can do to secure carbon credits by growing certain crops, as carbon credits may become a lucrative opportunity for many of them.
Governor Reynolds expressed an interest in better understanding carbon capture and acknowledged the traction that the subject is gaining.
She also recognizes the value that carbon capture may add for Iowan farmers and even sees it as an opportunity for the state to build on its leadership in other areas, most notably in renewables.
The effects of carbon capture will resound across industries
The Iowa State University is already researching something known as ‘biochar’, which is a high-carbon form of charcoal.
Its primary application is to increase the capacity for carbon storage of soil.
As for the carbon pipelines, there are currently three proposed projects that are set to run through Iowa and Reynolds is firm on her stance that it should be up to the private sector to convince both state regulators and landowners of the viability of these projects.
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Even so, the governor was also keen on acknowledging that the projects have extreme importance to the ethanol industry.
And as over half of the local corn goes to ethanol, Reynolds is convinced the state has managed to find a good balance between the ethanol and farming sectors and she is keen to see that remain to be the case.
Read more: Midwest Groups Ask To Stop Funding Carbon Capture Tech
