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.

For a more detailed version of this tool, visit Detailed Carbon Calculator

Sample of Factors Impacting the Carbon Intensity of Ethanol

	California Outdated CI Score	User Specified CI Score
Corn yield (bushels/acre)	166	(Enter Farm Average Corn Yield)
N₂O Emissions from Fertilizer (grams per MJ)	13.2
Penalty for Land Use Change (grams per MJ)	19.8
Credit for Climate Smart Farming Practices (grams per MJ)	0
Ethanol Yield (gallons/bushel)	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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California GREET Midwest Average

Grams of CO₂ equivalent GHGs per megajoule

2021 U.S. Department of Energy GREET Midwest Average

Grams of CO₂ equivalent GHGs per megajoule

User Specified Carbon Intensity

Grams of CO₂ equivalent GHGs per megajoule

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
Corn yield (bushels/acre)	166		178.4		(Enter Farm Average Corn Yield)
Ethanol Yield (gallons/bushel)	2.882		2.864		Enter Ethanol Plant Ethanol yield (gal/bu) (from local Ethanol plant)
Ethanol Yield (gallons/acre)	478	38528	511	41147

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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
Fossil Fuel Diesel (gallons/acre)		4.9	1.54		7.22	2.13			12140
Bio and Renewable Diesel (gallons/acre and blend %)		0	0		0	0
E-98 Clear Flame Ethanol Diesel (gallons/acre)	0	0	0	0
Ethanol Blended Gasoline (gallons/acre and Ethanol blend %)		1.7	1.66		1.28	0.33
Natural gas (cubic feet/acre)		174.4	0.36		87.0	0.17			80
LPG/Propane (gallons/acre)		2.7	0.5		2.2	0.37			6965
Electricity (kilowatt-hour/acre, U.S. Generation Grid average carbon intensity)		17	0.21		69.3	0.74			439
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
Miles one way (Field to Farm Storage) and blend %	10	0.73	10	0.37
Miles one way (Farm Storage to Ethanol Plant) and blend %	40	1.77	40	0.83
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
Ammonia (lbs.actual Units N/acre)	43.4	2.0	49	1.71		1437
Urea (lbs.actual Units N/acre)	32.2	1.8	36.3	1.66		1886
Ammonium Nitrate (lbs. actual Units N/acre)	2.8	0.3	3.2	0.24		3038
Ammonium Sulfate (lbs.actual Units N/acre)	2.8	0.1	3.2	0.12		1588
Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions (28-32% N, lbs.actual Units N/acre)	44.8	3.5	50.5	3.27		2661
Nitrogen in MAP (11-52-0) Fertilizer (lbs.actual Units N/acre)	5.6	0.1	6.3	0.29		211
Nitrogen in DAP (18-46-0) Fertilizer (lbs. actual N/acre)	8.4	0.2	9.5	0.5		386
Soil CO₂ Emissions due to Urea N Fertilizer use	0	1.6	0	1.07		247
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

Anhydrous Ammonia (NH₃)

3.09

Am.

In Soil

Granular Urea

2.29

Am.

Ammonium Nitrate

0.2

50-50

Ammonium Sulfate (AMS)

0.2

Am.

Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions

3.19

75-50

Nitrogen in Phosphate Fertilizer (MAP & DAP)

Am.

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
MAP (11-52-0) Fertilizer (lbs P₂O₅/acre)	26.5	0.42	29.6	0.72		999
DAP (18-46-0) Fertilizer (lbs P₂O₅/acre)	52.6	0.55	29.6	0.59		826
Liquid P₂O₅ Fertilizers (10-34-0, 7-21-7, etc.)	0	0	0	0		920
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

K₂O (Potassium Oxide) Fertilizer (0-0-60, lbs/acre)

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
CaCO₃ (Calcium Carbonate) (lbs/acre)	472.2	0.058	573	0.06		0.02431
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

Herbicide (lbs active ingredients/acre)

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

Insecticide (lbs active ingredients/acre)

0.0046

0.001

0.0049

0.0012

9938

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Credit for Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration

ACE 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
County Specific SOC Sequestration for Corn
This input determined by using the Michigan State University Cropland GHG Calculator.

Go to this web address: http://surf.kbs.msu.edu
(Calculator opens in a new tab. To return to this page, either close the MSU tab or click on the ACE tab at the top of your browser.)

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.

	Metric tons CO₂/acre	g/MJ		$/Gal.CI Reduction Value	$/Acre CI Reduction Value

Upstream Corn Production Totals

California GREET Default Value

33.3

DoE GREET Default Value

29.3

User Specified Value

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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
Natural Gas (btu/gallon)	28408	25.7	24628	22.2
Electrical Energy (kWh/gallon)	0.89	2.8	0.63	2.95
Ethanol Plant Energy use Totals		28.4		25.2	Electricity Grid CI Multiplication Factor

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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
Alpha Amylase (grams/dry ton corn)	330	0.047	330	0.047
Gluco Amylase (grams/dry ton corn)	710	0.46	710	0.46
Yeast (grams/dry ton corn)	360	0.092	360	0.092
Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄,grams/dry ton corn)	554	0.003	554	0.003
Ammonia (NH₃, grams/dry ton corn)	2123	0.59	2123	0.59
NaOH (grams/dry ton corn)	2663	0.65	2663	0.65
CaO (grams/dry ton corn)	1270	0.17	1270	0.17
Urea (grams/dry ton corn)	0	0	0	0
Ethanol Plant Chemical Total		2.01		2.01

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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
Ethanol Plant to Bulk Terminal	Miles		Miles	%		Miles	%
Barge Transport	0	0	520	13.2%	0.12		%
Rail Transport	1400	1.51	800	78.9%	0.68		%
Truck Transport	80	0.44	80	7.9%	0.03		%
Bulk Terminal to Refueling Station
Truck Transport	90	0.49	30	100%	0.16		100%
Ethanol Transportation Totals		2.44			1

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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

Denaturant inclusion rate

0.9

1.2

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Ethanol Plant Energy, Chemicals, Transportation & Denaturant

													$/Gal.CI Reduction Value	$/Acre CI Reduction Value
Ethanol Plant Energy, Chemicals, Transportation & Den.			33.78			29.4

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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
Dry DGS Yield (dry lbs/gallon Ethanol)	4	-9.2	3.25	-7.66
Wet DGS Yield (dry lbs/gallon Ethanol)	1.2	-4.8	1.36	-3.2
Corn Oil Yield (lbs/gallon Ethanol)	0.2	0	0.27	0
Co-Product Credit Totals	5.3	-14	4.9	-10.86

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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

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

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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

Ethanol Plant Fermentation CO₂ Capture, Transportation, and Sequestration

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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

CI Score at a Glance

Simplified Corn Ethanol Carbon Intensity Calculator

Sample of Factors Impacting the Carbon Intensity of Ethanol

Yields - Corn, Ethanol & Energy

Corn Farming Input Parameters

Credit for Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration

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Ethanol Plant Chemical Manufacture & Transportation Emissions

Ethanol Transportation Emissions

Denaturant Use Emissions

Ethanol Plant Energy, Chemicals, Transportation & Denaturant

Co-Product Credits

International and Domestic Land Use Change Penalty

Credit for Carbon Capture and Sequestration

Notes & Sources: