2008 National dry mill corn ethanol survey

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Emerging regulations necessitate life cycle greenhouse gas assessments for corn ethanol.
• Comprehensive industry performance data was last available in 2001, predating significant industry growth.
• Updated data is crucial for accurate environmental impact evaluations of corn ethanol.

Purpose of the Study:

• To collect and analyze current energy and processing data for average dry mill corn ethanol production.
• To establish a contemporary benchmark for the industry's energy consumption and efficiency.
• To inform regulatory assessments and industry best practices.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a survey of the corn ethanol industry to gather energy and processing data.
• Focused data collection on anhydrous corn ethanol produced during the 2008 production year.
• Compared 2008 data with historical data from 2001.

Main Results:

• Average thermal energy consumption decreased by 28% (7.18 MJ/l in 2008 vs. 10 MJ/l in 2001).
• Average electricity consumption decreased by 32% (0.195 kWh/l in 2008 vs. 0.287 kWh/l in 2001).
• Anhydrous ethanol yields increased by 5.3% (0.416 l/kg in 2008 vs. 0.395 l/kg in 2001).

Conclusions:

• Corn ethanol production has become significantly more energy-efficient between 2001 and 2008.
• Energy efficiency retrofits in older plants likely contributed to these improvements.
• Updated data supports more accurate life cycle assessments for corn ethanol production.