BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum today applauded the U.S. Department of Energy for awarding $9.8 million to help fund a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for Project Tundra, a carbon-dioxide capture system for an existing lignite-based power plant in North Dakota.
Project Tundra’s vision is to retrofit Unit 2 of Minnkota Power Cooperative’s Milton R. Young Station near Center, N.D., with technology that could capture up to 95 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide would be pipelined to western North Dakota for use in enhanced oil recovery projects or stored regionally in underground formations.
Last November, the North Dakota Industrial Commission awarded $15 million from the state’s Lignite Research Fund to help pay for the FEED study. The three-member Industrial Commission consists of Burgum as chair, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The Lignite Research Fund is supported by coal severance and oil tax revenues.
“Project Tundra gives North Dakota the opportunity to reduce emissions and boost energy production for the benefit of consumers, the environment and the coal and oil industries that provide thousands of good-paying jobs and economic development resulting in billions in tax revenue to our state and local governments,” Burgum said. “We appreciate the Department of Energy, Secretary Perry and our state's congressional delegation for supporting this promising technology and look forward to further collaboration as the project advances with backing from the Industrial Commission and industry.”
The Department of Energy also awarded $5 million for the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center to advance the Plains Carbon Dioxide Reduction Partnership, according to U.S. Sen. John Hoeven.