What's Your Problem? Welcome to Carbon Cowboys | From Drilled
May 12, 2026
Felipe Sabrina, a reporter for The Intercept Brasil who helped produce the Portuguese version, shares reporting from Brazil. He discusses how U.S. ethanol interests expand into Brazilian agribusiness. He describes monoculture boomtowns, local philanthropy tied to industry, and the political and land deals that enabled a cross-border carbon fuel push.
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Carbon Capture From Ethanol Masks Continued Oil Production
- Carbon capture tied to ethanol is being marketed as a climate solution despite enabling more oil extraction through EOR (enhanced oil recovery).
- Summit sells captured CO2 from ethanol plants to buyers who inject it underground to extract more oil, undermining climate claims.
Corn Ethanol Has A Large Environmental Footprint
- Corn ethanol's lifecycle emissions and resource use make it comparable to gasoline rather than a clear climate win.
- Amy Westervelt notes corn ethanol needs ~30x the land of solar and heavy fertilizer, yet policy subsidies keep it afloat.
Policy Created A Carbon Capture Market Opportunity
- The Inflation Reduction Act created new markets for ethanol through sustainable aviation fuel credits, but eligibility depends on adopting carbon capture.
- Bruce Rastetter and Summit position carbon capture as the path for Iowa ethanol to access aviation fuel markets.