• Google signs a long-term agreement with Broadwing Energy to source power from a 400 MW gas plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Decatur, Illinois.
• The project will capture and permanently store around 90% of its CO2 emissions using Archer Daniels Midland’s Class VI sequestration site.
• Partnership with Low Carbon Infrastructure aims to scale commercial CCS deployment across U.S. power generation by early 2030.
Google Expands Its Clean Power Strategy with CCS
Google has entered its first corporate agreement to purchase electricity from a natural gas power plant equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, marking a significant step in its effort to diversify clean energy supply and reduce grid emissions.
The Broadwing Energy facility, located in Decatur, Illinois, will capture and permanently store about 90% of its carbon dioxide emissions. By agreeing to buy most of the plant’s electricity output, Google will help finance and accelerate construction of the 400 MW plant, connecting new low-carbon firm capacity to the regional grid that serves its data centers.
The project expands Google’s existing portfolio of advanced energy technologies, which already includes enhanced geothermal, long-duration energy storage, and advanced nuclear. The company views natural gas with CCS as a transitional but essential part of achieving round-the-clock carbon-free electricity (CFE).
Inside the Broadwing Project
The Broadwing facility will be built within an existing industrial site operated by Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), which already runs a carbon sequestration system storing emissions from ethanol production. Using ADM’s EPA-approved Class VI wells, the captured CO2 from Broadwing’s operations will be injected more than a mile underground for permanent storage.
Broadwing is being developed by Low Carbon Infrastructure (LCI), a U.S.-based firm backed by global investor I Squared Capital. The project is expected to reach commercial operation by early 2030. Construction will create an estimated 750 jobs over the next four years and dozens of permanent operational positions once complete.
LCI has committed to ongoing engagement with local stakeholders and adherence to stringent environmental and safety protocols. The company aims to demonstrate that CCS can operate at commercial scale while supporting community employment and regional energy stability.
CCS as Part of the Global Energy Transition
CCS remains one of the most debated yet necessary tools in global decarbonization efforts. The International Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change both recognize its role in reducing emissions from industries where full electrification remains technically or economically challenging.
For Google, the Decatur project represents both a learning platform and a blueprint for scaling CCS in power generation. The company’s collaboration with LCI is structured to fast-track improvements in carbon capture efficiency, operational reliability, and cost performance.
The project will also integrate a new industry standard for CCS-specific Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). These certificates will allow captured emissions to be quantified and verified for corporate reporting, addressing one of the sector’s key credibility gaps.
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Governance, Finance, and ESG Implications
From a governance perspective, the Decatur agreement positions Google as an early mover in corporate-backed CCS — a domain historically dominated by oil and gas majors. It extends the company’s clean energy procurement strategy beyond renewables, responding to the reliability challenge of 24/7 CFE targets.
Financially, the deal represents a blend of infrastructure and technology investment designed to de-risk next-generation CCS projects. By partnering with I Squared Capital through LCI, Google aligns itself with institutional capital seeking scalable, regulated clean energy assets.
The environmental dimension is equally strategic. As AI-driven operations expand power demand across data centers, Google’s energy mix will increasingly depend on firm low-carbon supply. Projects like Broadwing allow the company to offset this demand while contributing to a national CCS build-out that could shape future policy and permitting frameworks.
A Broader Vision for Decarbonization
Google says its CCS initiative complements its broader clean energy mission, which includes deploying AI tools that help users collectively reduce emissions. In 2024, the company estimated its AI-powered products helped avoid 26 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent — comparable to the annual energy use of 3.5 million U.S. homes.
As global tech firms face growing scrutiny over the climate impact of cloud infrastructure and AI computing, this project demonstrates how digital leaders can help commercialize emerging energy technologies.
By 2030, Broadwing’s success or failure will help determine whether CCS can transition from industrial pilot to mainstream decarbonization tool — and whether corporate power buyers can meaningfully accelerate that shift.
In an era where clean energy reliability is becoming a competitive factor in both technology and climate finance, Google’s Illinois experiment could set an influential precedent for how digital economies power their next wave of growth.
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