Simplified Corn Ethanol Carbon Intensity Calculator
The American Coalition for Ethanol has created this online tool to help ethanol producers and corn producers estimate potential improvements in their carbon footprint, using real-world, up-to-date data.
Sample of Factors Impacting the Carbon Intensity of Ethanol
| California Outdated CI Score |
User Specified CI Score |
|
| 166 | (Enter Farm Average Corn Yield) | |
13.2 |
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| Penalty for Land Use Change (grams per MJ) | 19.8 | |
| Credit for Climate Smart Farming Practices (grams per MJ) | 0 | |
| 2.882 | Enter ethanol plant ethanol yield (gal/bu) from local ethanol plant |
|
| Natural Gas Use by Ethanol Plant (Btus per gallon) | 28408 | |
| Credit for Capture and Sequestration of CO2 (grams per MJ) | 0 | |
| Total | % cleaner than gasoline | |
| / Gallon CI Reduction Value (at $100/ton Carbon Credit) | ||
| / Acre CI Reduction Value (at $100/ton Carbon Credit) |
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Yields - Corn, Ethanol & Energy
| Carbon Credit $/ton$ | ||||||||||
| Corn, Ethanol and Energy Yield | California GREET Default Value |
Megajoules/acre | DoE GREET Default Value |
Megajoules/acre | User Specified Value | Megajoules/acre | Megajoules/bushel | |||
| 166 | 178.4 |
(Enter Farm Average Corn Yield) |
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| 2.882 | 2.864 | Enter Ethanol Plant Ethanol yield (gal/bu) (from local Ethanol plant) |
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| Ethanol Yield (gallons/acre) | 478 | 38,528 | 511 | 41,147 |
Corn Farming Input Parameters
| Corn Production Fuels & Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel, Ethanol % Blend | Gram GHGs /gal, ft3, kWh | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 4.9 | 1.54 | 7.22 | 2.13 |
12140 |
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| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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| 1.7 | 1.66 | 1.28 | 0.33 |
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| 174.4 | 0.36 | 87 | 0.17 |
80 |
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| 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 0.37 |
6965 |
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| 17 | 0.21 | 69.3 | 0.74 |
439 |
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| Corn Production Energy Totals | 4.25 |
3.74 |
| Corn Transportation Fuel Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel % Blend | g GHGs /bushel | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 10 | 0.73 | 10 | 0.37 |
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| 40 | 1.77 | 40 | 0.83 |
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| Corn Transportation Energy Totals | 2.5 |
1.2 |
| Nitrogen Fertilizer Manufacture and Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per unit N Fertilizer | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 43.4 | 2 | 49 | 1.71 |
1437 |
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| 32.2 | 1.8 | 36.3 | 1.66 |
1886 |
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| 2.8 | 0.3 | 3.2 | 0.24 |
3038 |
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| 2.8 | 0.1 | 3.2 | 0.12 |
1588 |
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| 44.8 | 3.5 | 50.5 | 3.27 |
2661 |
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| Nitrogen in MAP (11-52-0) Fertilizer (lbs.actual Units N/acre) | 5.6 | 0.1 | 6.3 | 0.29 |
211 |
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| Nitrogen in DAP (18-46-0) Fertilizer (lbs. actual N/acre) | 8.4 | 0.2 | 9.5 | 0.5 |
386 |
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| Soil CO2 Emissions due to Urea N Fertilizer use | 0 | 1.6 | 0 | 1.07 |
247 |
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| Nitrogen Totals | 140.1 | 8.4 |
158 | 7.79 |
Units N/acre | |||||||||
| Lbs./bushel |
% Nitrogen Balance/N Use Efficiency (Applied Nitrogen Fertilizer divided by Nitrogen removed in grain protein) (corn grain dry matter X 10% X 16%)
Annual Precipitation, Enhanced Efficiency N (EEFs), and 4R (Right Form, Right Place Right Time, Right Rate) N Fertilizer Management impacts on Nitrous Oxide
| Climate and N Management Factors Influencing N2O Emissions | ||||||||||||||
| N2O from Fertilizer and Crop Residue Nitrogen | GREET 2021 Default N2O g/Mj by Fertilizer Source | Precip. (inches) | EEFs | Fertilizer Form | Application Placement | Application Timing | Total N Rate | N2O g/Mj | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) | 3.09 |
Am.
|
In Soil
|
a |
b |
c |
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| Granular Urea | 2.29 |
Am.
|
||||||||||||
| Ammonium Nitrate | 0.2 |
50-50
|
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| Ammonium Sulfate (AMS) | 0.2 |
Am.
|
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| Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions | 3.19 |
75-50
|
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| Nitrogen in Phosphate Fertilizer (MAP & DAP) | 1 |
Am.
|
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| Total N2O from Nitrogen Fertilizer (g/Mj) | 9.97 |
Precip. | C:N Ratio | Total Nitrogen Fertilizer N2O | ||||||||||
| Total N2O From Crop Residue (g/Mj) | 3.23 |
< 25 | Total Corn Residue Nitrogen N2O | |||||||||||
| Total N2O (g/Mj) | 13.2 |
Total N2O | ||||||||||||
| Phosphate Fertilizer Manufacture & Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per unit P2O5 | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 26.5 | 0.42 | 29.6 | 0.72 |
999 |
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| 52.6 | 0.55 | 29.6 | 0.59 |
826 |
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| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
920 |
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| Phosphate Totals - Units P2O5 per acre | 79.1 | 0.97 |
59.2 | 1.31 |
| Potash Fertilizer Manufacture & Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per unit K2O | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 53.6 | 0.47 |
59.9 | 0.36 |
245 |
| Lime for Soil pH Correction – Manufacture & Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per lb CaCO3 | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 472.2 | 0.058 | 573 | 0.06 |
0.02431 |
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| Soil CO2 emissions due to Lime use | 1.38 |
1.37 |
0.52612 |
1.37 |
| Herbicide Manufacture & Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per lb Herbicide | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 2.14 | 0.52 |
2.3 | 0.47 |
8420 |
| Insecticide Manufacture & Transportation Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Gram GHGs per lb Insecticide | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 0.0046 | 0.001 |
0.0049 | 0.0012 |
9938 |
Credit for Soil Organic Carbon SequestrationACE is working with the Department of Energy to include a soil organic credit, which is not currently part of GREET.
Michigan State University Cropland GHG Calculator
Go to this web address: http://surf.kbs.msu.edu 1 Locate and click on your county on the interactive map. 2 Enter your crop. 3 Enter your yield. 4 Enter your tillage method. 5 Record the number under 'Soil' and enter that number in the yellow box below. Your results will be shown in Grams/Megajoule in green. |
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| Metric tons CO2/acre | g/MJ | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| Upstream Corn Production Totals | California GREET Default Value 33.3 |
DoE GREET Default Value 29.3 |
User Specified Value |
Hide all these
| Ethanol Plant Energy Use (California GREET & DoE GREET 2021 Midwest Average values from Industry Surveys) |
California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Grams /gallon | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
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| Natural Gas (btu/gallon) | 28408 | 25.7 |
24628 | 22.2 |
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| 0.89 | 2.8 |
0.63 | 2.95 |
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28.4 |
25.2 |
Electricity Grid CI Multiplication Factor |
Ethanol Plant Chemical Manufacture & Transportation Emissions
| Ethanol Plant Chemical Manufacture & Transportation Emissions (California GREET & DoE GREET 2021 Midwest Average values from Industry Surveys) |
California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Grams /gallon | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
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| 330 | 0.047 |
330 | 0.047 | ||||||||||
| 710 | 0.46 | 710 | 0.46 |
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| 360 | 0.092 | 360 | 0.092 |
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| 554 | 0.003 | 554 | 0.003 |
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| 2123 | 0.59 | 2123 | 0.59 |
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| 2663 | 0.65 | 2663 | 0.65 |
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| 1270 | 0.17 | 1270 | 0.17 |
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| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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| Ethanol Plant Chemical Total | 2.01 |
2.01 |
Ethanol Transportation Emissions
| Ethanol Transportation Emissions (California GREET values for Midwest Ethanol to California, GREET 2021 values for Midwest Ethanol, User Specified for Ethanol consumed) |
California GREET Default Value (to California) |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value (U.S. Average) |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Values for Your Specific Destinations |
Grams /gallon | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
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| Ethanol Plant to Bulk Terminal | Miles | Miles | % | Miles | % | ||||||||||
| 0 | 0 | 520 | 13.2% | 0.12 |
% | ||||||||||
| 1400 | 1.51 | 800 | 78.9% | 0.68 |
% | ||||||||||
| 80 | 0.44 | 80 | 7.9% | 0.03 |
% | ||||||||||
| Bulk Terminal to Refueling Station | |||||||||||||||
| 90 | 0.49 | 30 | 100% | 0.16 |
100% | ||||||||||
| Ethanol Transportation Totals | 2.44 |
1 |
Denaturant Use Emissions
| Denaturant Use Emissions | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | Grams /gallon | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 2% | 0.9 |
2% | 1.2 |
% | ||||||||||
Ethanol Plant Energy, Chemicals, Transportation & Denaturant
| $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| Ethanol Plant Energy, Chemicals, Transportation & Den. | 33.78 |
29.4 |
Co-Product Credits
Midwest average GREET Source: RFA Industry Survey (US Dry Mills)
| Co-Product Credits | California GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | DoE GREET Default Value |
CI (g/MJ) | User Specified Value | CI (g/MJ) | CI Change from GREET Default | $/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| 4 | -9.2 | 3.25 |
-7.66 |
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| 1.2 | -4.8 | 1.36 |
-3.2 |
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| 0.2 | 0 | 0.27 | 0 |
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| Co-Product Credit Totals | 5.3 | -14 |
4.9 | -10.86 |
International and Domestic Land Use Change Penalty
This penalty includes emissions from soil organic carbon losses and N2O emissions.
| CI Change from GREET Default | $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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| Indirect Land Use Change | CARB 2015 | 19.8 |
GREET CCLUB 2021 | 7.38 |
User option of GREET default or most recent CCLUB factor of 3.71 |
Credit for Carbon Capture and Sequestration
Based on 2020 USDA report, this value results in an approximately 25 gram credit.
| $/Gal.CI Reduction Value |
$/Acre CI Reduction Value |
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Notes & Sources:
This Calculator borrows heavily from the U.S. Department of Energy GREET Model and the GREET 2020 Corn Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator
- California & DoE GREET Midwest Average Corn Yield from From: USDA NASS (National Agriculture Statistics Service)
- California & DoE GREET Midwest avg. Fuel Useage From: USDA Report - "2015 Energy Balance of Corn Ethanol"
- California & DoE GREET Midwest avg. Fuel Useage From: USDA Report - "2015 Energy Balance of Corn Ethanol"
- All California GREET and DoE GREET 2021 Midwest avg. Fertilizer & Pesticide values in "lbs/acre" from: USDA ERS (Economic Research Service) Reports & USDA NASS
- Direct N Fertilizer N2O Emissions Factor Indirect N2O Emissions factors from IPPC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
- All California GREET and DoE GREET 2021 Midwest avg.
- Fertilizer & Pesticide values in "lbs/acre" from: USDA ERS (Economic Research Service) Reports & USDA NASS
- USDA Report - "2015 Energy Balance of Corn Ethanol"
- USDA NASS State Specific Herbicide & Insectide Use
- https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov