ADM enters carbon removal market with 800,000-tonne annual capacity

USA – ADM plans to enter the voluntary carbon removal market with credits generated from carbon capture operations at its corn processing complex in Columbus, Nebraska, which has more than 800,000 tonnes of annual carbon removal capacity.

The planned credit offering is expected to be one of the largest of its kind and will be certified and issued by Puro.earth under its Geologically Stored Carbon methodology.

ADM expects to issue the initial credits by the end of 2026, subject to certification and third-party verification. 

Once approved, the company will begin a 15-year crediting period for the Columbus facility.

ADM began carbon capture and storage operations at Columbus in partnership with energy infrastructure company Tallgrass in 2025. 

ADM captures, purifies, and compresses biogenic carbon dioxide produced during ethanol fermentation at the corn processing facility before transporting it to Tallgrass’s Eastern Wyoming Sequestration Hub for permanent underground storage.

The facility is described by ADM as the world’s largest bioethanol carbon capture operation, with more than 800,000 tonnes of annual removal capacity.

“ADM has more than a decade of experience supporting carbon capture and geologic storage,” said Kris Lutt, ADM vice president of Innovation & Growth. 

He said the company’s experience, combined with Tallgrass’ CO₂ transportation and sequestration system, positions ADM to connect agricultural production with growing carbon removal markets at scale.

Puro.earth president Jan-Willem Bode said the certification process involved measurement, data collection, and third-party auditing to verify carbon removal at the facility.

The project adds a new commercial application to ADM’s existing corn-processing infrastructure. 

The Columbus complex operates wet and dry mills that process corn into food ingredients, fuels and animal feed products.

ADM said the carbon removal credits will allow it to expand work with customers seeking to address emissions across industries including technology, finance, aviation and pharmaceuticals.

The company also highlighted carbon capture alongside regenerative agriculture and renewable natural gas as part of its efforts to develop lower-carbon solutions from agricultural production.

The planned carbon credit issuance comes as companies and carbon-market participants seek verified removal projects capable of delivering permanent carbon storage at scale. 

ADM’s Columbus facility would provide credits linked to the capture and geological storage of biogenic CO₂ generated during corn processing.

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