Carbon removal project in Wyoming halted due to clean energy shortages

A major direct air capture project in Wyoming has been paused after its developers struggled to secure enough emissions-free power, raising concerns about the future of carbon removal technologies.

Corbin Hiar reports for E&E News.


In short:

  • Project Bison, aimed to remove 5 million tons of CO2 yearly by 2030, is on hold due to limited clean energy availability.
  • The rise of AI data centers and cryptocurrency operations has increased competition for renewable power in Wyoming.
  • Wyoming's governor remains committed to carbon removal, despite the project's relocation outside the state.

Key quote:

“We’ve seen growing competition for clean power amongst industries that are emerging much faster than anybody would have ever predicted.”

— Adrian Corless, CEO of CarbonCapture

Why this matters:

Direct air capture is seen as a vital tool to combat climate change, but the difficulties in finding sufficient clean energy for such projects signal potential obstacles to scaling these technologies. Without clean power, the carbon removal benefits are limited.

Read more: Bill Gates begins groundbreaking nuclear project in Wyoming

Flags of the EU flying outside a glass and steel building

Hungary's carbon tax violates EU rules, top court says

The European Union's top court says Hungary's tax on CO2 emission allowances, introduced in 2023, is against EU law, as it removes the operators' incentive to invest in measures to cut emissions.

A mountain highway winding through a forest toward mountains in the background
Credit: Hans/Unsplash+

How ‘national security’ became the new justification for drilling

What’s happening to the public lands and oceans we thought were protected?
Two scuba divers looking at coral in the ocean

World's first fossil fuel phase-out conference puts ocean in its sights

Across 11 frontier regions, 19% of Marine Protected Areas are already overlapped by active fossil fuel oil and gas blocks.
A closeup of a jail cell door with lock

Two Indigenous rights advocates remain behind bars in Russia

The UN’s biggest Indigenous gathering is happening next week, but a key climate advocate will be missing.
A shareholder agreement with a gold pen on top of it

The man whom Exxon tried to drill

After years of using shareholder votes to pressure oil giants on climate, one activist triggered a corporate backlash that is reshaping the limits of investor power.
A row of solar panels in the snow with the setting sun in the background

‘A ray of hope’: EU governments gathering to plan way out of fossil fuel reliance

Energy crises could be a thing of the past if reliable, cheap, and abundant clean energy is given precedence over fossil fuels.

Many solar panels arranged in a circular pattern viewed from above

Solar power in Morocco's desert: bold vision, mixed results

A massive solar tower in the Moroccan desert is the beacon of an ambitious push for a clean energy future. But fossil fuels and grid constraints stand in the way.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.