Carbon Direct and C2X have joined forces on a Louisiana project that will transform forestry residues into biofuel while permanently storing carbon dioxide underground.
The Beaver Lake Biofuels project addresses a growing problem in Louisiana. The decline of the pulp and paper industry has left closed mills, lost jobs and a surplus of forestry byproducts including wood, bark and tree tops with no market.
The project will convert this waste into biomethanol, a clean fuel, while capturing and storing approximately 1 million tonnes of COâ‚‚ annually for over 1,000 years. It expects to produce roughly 550,000 tonnes of biomethanol per year.
Microsoft has already committed to purchasing 3.6 million metric tonnes of carbon removal credits from the project over 12 years. The project is finishing its engineering design phase and aims to reach a final investment decision in 2026, with operations starting in 2029.
“This important collaboration with C2X represents an opportunity to bolster a declining market for wood by-products and transform this resource into two complementary climate solutions at scale,” said Greg FitzGerald, Vice President of Supply at Carbon Direct.
The facility will occupy the former International Paper Pineville Mill site, which has been largely vacant since 2009. This approach avoids new land disturbance while restoring an existing industrial site. The project expects to create approximately 1,150 construction jobs at peak and 660 permanent direct and indirect jobs once operational.
Biomethanol offers a practical fuel option for shipping and aviation, sectors where clean alternatives have been difficult to implement. The fuel works with existing infrastructure and retrofitted marine engines, cutting lifecycle COâ‚‚ emissions by up to 95 percent. About 60 methanol-capable vessels currently operate worldwide, with over 300 more on order.
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