How much of US corn production is used for ethanol?
Much of this growth in area and production is a result of expanding ethanol production, which now accounts for nearly 40 percent of total corn use.
Where is corn ethanol produced in the US?
Midwest
U.S. ethanol plants are concentrated in the Midwest because of the proximity to corn production. Plants outside the Midwest typically receive corn by rail or use other feedstocks and are located near large population centers.
How many gallons of ethanol are produced in the US?
13.9 billion gallons
The United States is the world’s largest producer of ethanol, having produced over 13.9 billion gallons in 2020.
How much corn ethanol is produced annually?
Using a corn to ethanol conversion of 2.8 gallons of ethanol from a bushel of corn total U.S. production of corn could produce approximately 38 billion gallons of ethanol which would provide approximately 26% of our 137 billion gallon per year gasoline consumption (Energy Information Administration).
How much ethanol is produced from an acre of corn?
An acre of U.S. corn yields about 7,110 pounds of corn for processing into 328 gallons of ethanol. But planting, growing and harvesting that much corn requires about 140 gallons of fossil fuels and costs $347 per acre, according to Pimentel’s analysis.
How many acres of corn are used for ethanol?
In the United States, 40% of the acreage designated for corn grain is used for corn ethanol production, of which 25% was converted to ethanol after accounting for co-products, leaving only 60% of the crop yield for human or animal consumption.
What is the current state of ethanol production?
U.S. production of fuel ethanol reached 15.8 billion gallons (1.03 million b/d) in 2019, the fourth consecutive year that production of fuel ethanol was more than 1 million b/d. Although fuel ethanol production capacity increased year over year as of January 2020, fuel ethanol production has declined more recently.
How much corn does it take to make 1 gallon of ethanol?
Through research performed at Cornell University, we know that 1 acre of land can yield about 7,110 pounds (3,225 kg) of corn, which can be processed into 328 gallons (1240.61 liters) of ethanol. That is about 26.1 pounds (11.84 kg) of corn per gallon.
What are some drawbacks to producing ethanol from corn?
List of the Disadvantages of Ethanol
- It isn’t as effective a fuel as traditional gasoline.
- It is a corrosive fuel.
- It requires a lot of cropland space.
- It is costly.
- Its use has resulted in a net emissions increase.
- It has altered food production principles.
- It is reliant on the quality of the growing season.