Louisiana project to turn forest waste into power with carbon capture support
A major clean energy project in the United States is moving forward in Louisiana, where Strategic Biofuels plans to build a biomass power facility integrated with carbon capture and storage (CCS), with Emerson providing the automation systems to run the plant.
The Louisiana Green Fuels (LGF) project will convert around 1.3 million tons of forestry residues each year into electricity, using waste wood material that would otherwise be left to decay or be burned. At the same time, the facility is designed to capture and permanently store about 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually in deep underground geological formations.
At full capacity, the plant is expected to generate 100 megawatts of dispatchable electricity, providing steady power to the Louisiana grid. Developers say the combination of biomass energy and carbon capture will allow the facility to deliver what they describe as carbon-neutral electricity.
Emerson, a global industrial automation company, has been selected to supply the plant’s control and monitoring systems. The company will deploy its DeltaV automation platform along with sensors, flow measurement tools, valves and industrial software designed to manage complex energy and emissions processes in real time.
Company executives said the technology will be used to ensure safe and efficient operation of what they described as a first-of-its-kind integrated carbon-neutral power system.
Strategic Biofuels said the project is intended to demonstrate a scalable model for converting waste biomass into energy while reducing net carbon emissions through CCS technology. The company argues that capturing and storing emissions from biomass combustion can significantly lower the climate impact of power generation and, in some cases, result in net carbon removal depending on lifecycle emissions.
Carbon capture and storage systems work by isolating carbon dioxide produced during industrial processes or fuel combustion, compressing it, and injecting it into deep underground rock formations for long-term storage. The technology is increasingly being explored in sectors where emissions are difficult to eliminate, including heavy industry and energy production.
The project also highlights the growing role of forestry residues and agricultural waste in the renewable energy sector. Unlike dedicated energy crops, residue-based biomass is often considered less resource-intensive, though environmental outcomes depend on sourcing practices and supply chain management.
Louisiana has emerged as a key location for carbon capture development in the United States due to its existing energy infrastructure and access to suitable geological storage sites along the Gulf Coast. The region is already home to multiple CCS projects across industrial and energy sectors.
Supporters of biomass with carbon capture say the approach could play a role in reducing emissions from sectors that cannot easily transition to electrification or hydrogen in the near term. However, the technology remains under scrutiny, particularly regarding lifecycle emissions accounting, land-use impacts and the long-term reliability of carbon storage.
The LGF project is part of a broader wave of investment in carbon capture technologies as governments and industries face increasing pressure to meet climate targets. While renewable energy expansion continues to focus heavily on wind and solar, developers are also exploring complementary systems that can provide continuous power while addressing emissions from combustion-based processes.
Emerson said its role in the project reflects a wider shift toward digital automation in energy transition infrastructure, where real-time monitoring and control systems are becoming essential for managing emissions performance and operational efficiency.
