The Federal Role in Stakeholder Engagement for a Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Project

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) marks a significant uptick in federal investment in clean energy demonstration and deployment projects. It provides the Department of Energy (DOE) more than $20 billion to deliver much-needed demonstration projects and accelerate clean energy adoption. DOE has committed to deploy these technologies in a manner that advances energy and environmental justice—underscoring the need to engage communities in decisions about major energy projects. To help inform successful community engagement activities from DOE going forward, the Bipartisan Policy Center is exploring past projects for insights and lessons.

This case study provides an overview of the stakeholder engagement processes for a DOE-funded energy carbon storage demonstration project in Illinois. This study provides insights into (1) the federal government’s role in stakeholder engagement for energy demonstration projects and (2) key considerations for assessing and ensuring successful stakeholder engagement. The lessons learned and key findings from this study may be used to inform future federal processes for project selection, management, and stakeholder engagement for federally sponsored energy projects.