The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has granted the first-ever permits allowing carbon dioxide to be injected deep underground.

Known as “carbon sequestration”, the process is a means of storing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

The four Class VI underground injection permits were given to FutureGen Industrial Alliance, which plans to capture the greenhouse gas produced by a retrofitted coal power plant in Illinois.

The captured carbon dioxide would then be transported and stored underground via four proposed wells, which is yet to be constructed.

FutureGen aims to capture and store 1.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year for 20 years.