Emerson Automates First Carbon-Neutral 100 Mw Biomass-CCS Plant in Louisiana

Emerson has been selected by Strategic Biofuels to automate the Louisiana Green Fuels plant in Caldwell Parish, a $2 billion project combining forestry biomass and carbon capture to deliver 100 MW of carbon-neutral electricity.

Emerson, a global leader in industrial automation, has been selected by Strategic Biofuels to automate the Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) plant, a $2 billion project located in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. The facility, described as the first of its kind in the United States, pairs a wood-fired power plant with a commercial-scale carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) system. Similar to other forestry biomass energy valorization projects, LGF aims to convert organic waste into large-scale renewable electricity.

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100 MW generated from forestry residuals

At full capacity, the plant will process 1.3 million tons of forestry residuals per year, material that would otherwise decompose or be burned on site, according to Strategic Biofuels. The project will generate 100 megawatts of dispatchable electricity for the Louisiana grid. Simultaneously, the facility will capture and permanently store 1.1 million metric tons of CO₂ annually in geologic formations located nearly a mile underground.

Paul Schubert, chief executive officer of Strategic Biofuels, says Emerson was chosen for its experience in biomass power plants and carbon capture technologies. "This project represents a significant milestone in Caldwell Parish and for energy independence to support Louisiana's future," he states. He adds that Emerson will be crucial to delivering the project on schedule.

The DeltaV platform and automation suite

To optimize the plant's integrated operations, Emerson will deploy its DeltaV™ Automation Platform alongside a comprehensive suite of industrial solutions. The package includes Rosemount™ smart sensors, control and isolation valves, pressure protection devices, and Micro Motion™ and Flexim™ flow and gas analysis solutions. AspenTech data management software completes the deployment, providing the visibility and dynamic optimization tools required for the system.

Mike Train, Emerson's chief sustainability officer, says the company intends to support LGF through its end-to-end automation capabilities and expertise in energy transition infrastructure. Emerson says it aims to maximize plant efficiency, reduce operational risk and ensure continuous operation.

Replicable commercial model

Strategic Biofuels presents LGF as a replicable, commercially deployable pathway to carbon-neutral power generation. The project would position Louisiana as a reference territory in this field, according to the company. The convergence of advanced industrial automation and commercial-scale carbon capture represents, according to both parties, the central pillar of this approach.