A new lifecycle analysis by researchers at Argonne National Laboratory has found that the carbon intensity of corn ethanol has decreased 23% from 58 to 45 gCO2e/MJ from 2005 to 2019. Their open-access paper is published in the journal Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. Carbon intensity (gCO2e/MJ undenatured ethanol) of corn ethanol without.
At the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, a study performed by scientists discloses that the use of corn ethanol is decreasing the carbon footprint and reducing greenhouse gases.
May 24, 2021
Research shows that the use of corn ethanol reduces the carbon footprint and diminishes greenhouse gases.
The use of corn ethanol from 2005 to 2019 has reduced the carbon footprint in the United States and diminished greenhouse gases, according to an Argonne study. (Image by Smileus/Shutterstock.)
A study conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory reveals that the use of corn ethanol is reducing the carbon footprint and diminishing greenhouse gases.
The study, recently published in Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, analyzes corn ethanol production in the United States from 2005 to 2019, when production more than quadrupled. Scientists assessed corn ethanol’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity (sometimes known as carbon intensity, or CI) during that period and found a 23% reduction in CI.
E-Mail
A study conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory reveals that the use of corn ethanol is reducing the carbon footprint and diminishing greenhouse gases.
The study, recently published in
Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, analyzes corn ethanol production in the United States from 2005 to 2019, when production more than quadrupled. Scientists assessed corn ethanol s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity (sometimes known as carbon intensity, or CI) during that period and found a 23% reduction in CI.
According to Argonne scientists, corn ethanol production increased over the period, from 1.6 to 15 billion gallons (6.1 to 57 billion liters). Supportive biofuel policies such as the Environmental Protection Agency s Renewable Fuel Standard and California s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard helped generate the increase. Both of those federal and state programs evaluate the life-cycle GHG emissions of fuel production pathway
by Patrick Newkumet (OPIS) Alternative low-carbon fuel producers would receive tax credits for reaching net-zero emissions under a U.S. Senate bill introduced last month, but biofuel industry stakeholders are concerned they will find it difficult to reach that target by 2030 unless the government revises its count of the carbon intensity (CI) of their fuels to what they say would be a more accurate and lower number.
Under the Clean Energy for America Act, introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) on April 21, tax breaks for fossil fuels would be replaced with a technology-neutral tax break for producers whose fuels have zero or negative carbon emissions.