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IT'S PRACTICAL - The use
of shelled corn as a fuel source will reduce the United States'
dependency on foreign sources of petroleum, while at the same
time providing increased financial revenues for agricultural
areas throughout this country. Plus, shelled corn is a fuel
that can be produced within 180 days, compared to the millennia
needed to produce fossil fuels.
THE ENVIRONMENT - Shelled
corn is a clean-burning fuel, as documented by several government
studies concluding that there is less environmental pollution
associated with burning shelled corn than fossil fuels. Furthermore,
corn is very effective in pulling carbon dioxide from the environment
and replacing it with oxygen through photosynthesis during the
growing season.
THERE'S ENOUGH - Utilizing
corn as a fuel does not compete with the food supply needed
for nourishment throughout the world. Studies have shown that
contemporary agricultural systems can produce sufficient quality
and quantity of food for the world's population, with additional
resources available so that agricultural products can be used
as fuel, pharmaceuticals, and chemical feedstocks.
| Fuel Type |
BTU Value Per Unit |
Units Required to Produce 1,000,000
BTUs |
Fuel Price Per Unit |
Cost to Produce 1,000,000 BTUs |
Appliance Efficiency |
Effective Cost Per 1,000,000 BTUs
|
|
Shelled Corn
|
8,000 per lb.
|
125 pounds (2.23 bushels)
|
$1.75 per bushel
|
$3.90
|
85%
|
$4.60
|
|
Electricity
|
3,413 per KWH
|
293 KWH
|
$0.075 per KWH
|
$21.98
|
100%
|
$21.98
|
|
Natural Gas
|
100,020 per Cu. Ft.
|
1,030 Cu. Ft.
|
$1.30 per 100 Cu. Ft.
|
$13.39
|
85%
|
$15.75
|
|
Fuel Oil
|
139,000 per gallon
|
7.1 gallons
|
$1.00 per gallon
|
$7.19
|
80%
|
$8.98
|
|
LP Gas
|
91,960 per gallon
|
11 gallons
|
$1.69 per gallon
|
$18.59
|
80%
|
$23.23
|
|
Wood
|
16,464,000 per cord
|
0.0607 cords
|
$150 per cord
|
$9.11
|
60%
|
$15.18
|
|
Wood Pellets
|
8,000 per pound
|
125 pounds
|
$175 per ton
|
$10.50
|
87%
|
$12.00
|
|
Market prices will vary: cost comparisons may need
to be re-calculated based on current community market
conditions.
|
Data taken from "BURNING SHELLED CORN - A RENEWABLE
FUEL SOURCE," by Dennis E. Buffington, Professor, Agricultural
and Biological Engineering, Penn State University.
|
