Why a Major Carbon Pipeline Collapsed in July 2026

On July 19, 2026, the Midwest Carbon Express pipeline — a $3.5 billion project designed to transport captured CO2 from ethanol plants to underground storage — was officially terminated by its lead developer, Summit Carbon Solutions. This episode unpacks why the project failed after years of regulatory battles and what it signals for the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the US. Lucas and Luna walk through the economics: how rising interest rates pushed costs above projected revenues, why landowner opposition in Iowa and the Dakotas proved insurmountable, and what this means for the Biden administration's 45Q tax credit as a policy tool. They also connect it to broader energy market trends: WTI crude at $79.20 a barrel, natural gas at $2.83, and the practical math that makes CCS hard without a carbon price. No hot takes — just a clear postmortem on a project that was supposed to be a blueprint for the industry. #CarbonCapture #CCS #SummitCarbonSolutions #MidwestCarbonExpress #CarbonPipeline #45Q #Ethanol #Biofuels #ClimatePolicy #EnergyInfrastructure #Iowa #Dakotas #WTI #NaturalGas #InterestRates #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo