Greenhouse Gases in the Corn-to-Fuel Ethanol Pathway

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has applied its Greenhouse gas, Regulated Emissions and Energy in Transportation (GREET) full-fuel-cycle analysis model to examine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of corn-feedstock ethanol, given present and near-future production technology and practice. On the basis of updated information appropriate to corn farming and processing operations in the four principal corn- and ethanol-producing states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska), the model was used to estimate energy requirements and GHG emissions of corn farming; the manufacture, transportation to farms, and field application of fertilizer and pesticide; transportation of harvested corn to ethanol plants; nitrous oxide emissions from cultivated cornfields; ethanol production in current average and future technology wet and dry mills; and operation of cars and light trucks using ethanol fuels. For all cases examined on the basis of mass emissions per travel mile, the corn-to-ethanol fuel cycle for Midwest-produced ethanol used in both E85 and E10 blends with gasoline outperforms conventional (current) and reformulated (future) gasoline with respect to energy use and GHG production. Also, GHG reductions (but not energy use) appear surprisingly sensitive to the value chosen for combined soil and leached N-fertilizer conversion to nitrous oxide. Co-product energy-use attribution remains the single key factor in estimating ethanol's relative benefits because this value can range from 0 to 50%, depending on the attribution method chosen.

• Record URL:
  • https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/14000/14700/14757/DE200110855.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Argonne National Laboratory

  9700 South Cass Avenue
  Argonne, IL  United States  60439

  Department of Energy

  1000 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20585
• Authors:
  • Wang, M Q
• Publication Date: 1999-6-18

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 21p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternate fuels; Energy conservation; Ethanol; Exhaust gases; Grain; Greenhouse gases; Pollutants; Polluting gases
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01100697
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ANL-ES-CP-966692
• Files: NTL, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 3 2008 7:32AM