The world is becoming increasingly focused on sustainability to protect our environment and way of life. Because of this, emissions reduction commitments from governments, industry, and consumers are on the rise leading to a major need for creative solutions. Summit Carbon Solutions, backed by Summit Agricultural Group, is leading decarbonization by partnering with more than 30 ethanol facilities over a five-state region in the upper midwest to capture, transport, and permanently store their CO2 emissions, cutting their carbon intensity in half. This project, once completed will have the ability to capture over 12 million metric tons of CO2, making this the largest carbon capture project in the world.
SPOT is thrilled to be working with Summit Carbon Solutions on this project as a digital partner providing services like pipeline traceability, digital inspection forms, and dashboards for project progress monitoring. This project will capture carbon dioxide from the fermentation process of biorefineries like ethanol plants, compress the captured CO2, and then channel it to North Dakota where it will then be permanently stored underground. This will drastically reduce the carbon footprint of ethanol production and enhance the long-term viability of the ethanol and agriculture industries. The Summit Carbon Solutions project will generate thousands of jobs during construction and hundreds of full-time jobs once operational.
Footprint:
The project will span over 1,950 miles in states including Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
Strategy:
Summit Carbon Solutions seeks to lower the carbon intensity score of ethanol plants increasing their competitiveness and profitability. They are committed to using the most efficient techniques and practices throughout the duration of this project. This will include taking steps to carefully separate and preserve topsoil and working with landowners to reroute parts of the line to accommodate future construction plans.
The safety of their operations, employees, and communities where they will be operating is their top priority, and they are committed to remaining compliant with all federal, state, and local permitting requirements.
Benefits:
The economic opportunities this project will bring to the Midwest economy will be substantial. The project will put the ethanol produced at their 32 partner facilities on track to become a net-zero fuel by 2030. This will allow these plants to sell their product at a premium in the states who have adopted low-carbon fuel standards.
Ernst & Young, a well-renowned accounting firm, conducted a study that found that this project will not only create jobs but will generate new tax revenue for local communities, support local suppliers, and substantially strengthen the Midwest’s regional economy.
As mentioned earlier, the project will have the ability to capture and permanently store up to 12 million tons of CO2 every year. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of removing 2.6 million vehicles from our roads annually.
Click here to watch a short video of the project overview.
It’s official! The US Patent Office has formally issued SPOT a patent for our Super Electrically Conductive Aluminum Foil Shielding Tape, more commonly known as our Jeepable Labels. No more “patent pending” talk – it’s the real deal now, according to US Patent No. 11,443,656.
If you’re new here, you might be wondering what exactly jeepable labels are and what makes them so special. Well, these labels, particularly in regards to the midstream sector, are jeepable, meaning they can detect defects beneath the label at just 100 volts per mil. In addition, the labels offer greater logistical support, asset tracking, and supply chain management in conjunction with SPOT software. They can even be ordered pre-printed, so you never have to worry with onsite printers!
Furthermore, PHMSA has expressed “no objection” to the use and permanent application of jeepable barcodes. This means that PHMSA agrees that our Jeepable Labels do not need to be removed before a line is burning, which is a huge cost saving and a massive reduction in risk to asset traceability and reliability. Adding to their uniqueness, they’re weather-proof and have the potential to remain in place over the lifetime of a pipeline system (here’s some research to back that up, you know, if you’re into that sort of thing).
While it might look like your average barcode or QR code sticker on the outside, this label is much more. Watch videos of us testing the labels at jeepable.com and check out other related content, like 3rd party validation, while you’re there!
This patent issuance is such a significant thread in the fabric that is SPOT. These labels walked so SPOT could run! This technology was the starting point for what our software has evolved into, and to have the official stamp of approval from the US Patent Office feels like we’ve come full circle! At SPOT, we believe in providing the best quality product and services. This patent notably strengthens our differentiation among competitors but, most importantly, assures our customers that our product is legitimate and proven – PATENTED!
Tablets, Smartphones, Accessories – OH MY!
You’re in! You’ve completed the demo and are ready to take the next step in implementing SPOT at your business. We’re ready to launch the program when it hits you. Who is going to be responsible for buying the devices, purchasing data plans, setting each device up, charging the devices, and troubleshooting? If you use your own devices, will your employees be okay with using their own data? So after a stampede of never-ending questions runs rampant in your mind, you decide this is not something you want to handle.
Great news, in addition to our services… we lease devices! Our team procures the device(s) along with all necessary accessories, installs the SPOT software (available on both iOS and Android platforms), packages and delivers them to you in a timely manner before your project begins. And while, yes, you can use our software on your personal device, it’s also nice to have a dedicated business device. This way, you don’t have to worry about using your own data, losing your device, or device malfunctions. An added benefit of leasing our devices is that our support team is here to help you and your staff 24/7 with any software or hardware issues that might occur.
In fact, we’ve leased up to 200+ devices in one project, so we’ve definitely got the experience to manage your project’s device requirements. Take all of the responsibility of purchasing the required Ipads, smartphones, or whichever devices you plan to use (because with this comes the never-ending questions) off of yourself, and let us handle it all. Let us get you up and running with SPOT in no time!
Chances are if you’re working in the pipeline or natural gas industry, you’re familiar with The INGAA (Interstate Natural Gas Association of America) Foundation. Why? Because its mission is to deliver safety and quality guidelines for common natural gas pipeline construction activities. The INGAA Foundation publishes and distributes printable PDF files online for public use – an abundance of beneficial and free resources to pipeline construction professionals (which you can find here). Within these files are some documents you may already be accustomed to, like the JSA (Job Safety Analysis) form.
While these printable forms are great, this adds yet another layer of manual data entry to your process, unless… you’re using SPOT! Our team has proactively configured an INGAA-approved digital JSA form that can be easily completed through the SPOT app. This out-of-the-box form provides customers and auditors with a cleaner, sleeker, legible version of what is typically produced in the field. Using digital forms within SPOT produces a catalog of historical data that is indexable and searchable for the end-user. By using the historical data, reports can then determine and identify trends to further promote safety in the field.
So how exactly does this help you? See the ripple effect in the flow chart below!
So now you know that SPOT has built a digital INGAA JSA form, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how SPOT is digitizing forms for the field. When building forms, our team works to understand a project’s current process and then we refine and set parameters to structure client data and improve project success. By utilizing dropdowns, checkboxes, custom data fields, and pre-populated text fields, we’ve become proficient in reducing time and errors in field data entry. We even have viewing options for these forms (traditional pdf entry or digital web-based entry). We’ve digitized forms such as inspector daily reports, maintenance reports, QAQC verification records, welding & coating reports, and the list goes on.
So what’s the big takeaway? SPOT has taken your traditional paper INGAA JSA and digitized it. Essentially we’re taking conventional forms & reports (like INGAA’s JSA form) into the future of field technology by digitizing & customizing them to benefit your employees and your bottom line!
So you’ve completed the first few stages of your project and things are going smoothly. Do you have an O&M tool in place? Do you have all the compliance-related information available at a moment’s notice? With SPOT you will have both. Better yet, SPOT O&M capabilities, like alerts, can help prevent problems before they happen – and I think we can all agree that prevention is ALWAYS better than treatment.
SPOT has built-in O&M features that make the user’s work process simple. Both our mobile app and web portal gather and supply real-time data to the manufacturer, distributor, contractor, and Owner/Operator to provide a single source of truth for everyone involved. This level of data integration reduces errors, improves efficiency, and ultimately, saves a lot of money!
Some key features of SPOT O&M include:
