A new analysis by the Renewable Fuels Association reveals more errors in the Environmental Protection Agency's calculation of corn ethanol and other biofuels' carbon intensity as it applies to the Renewable Fuels Standard. In a letter to the agency the RFA points out that according to EPA's own analysis, EPA grossly overestimated potential emissions from land use change attributable to the greenhouse gas lifecycle of corn ethanol and other biofuels.
The letter states that correcting this error would greatly increase the greenhouse gas reduction benefits offered by ethanol under EPA's calculations. In fact, correcting the miscalculation reduces net LUC emissions assigned to corn ethanol by 62%. Such a reduction means overall lifecycle GHG emissions for 2022 average corn ethanol would be 38% less than baseline gasoline emissions, rather than the 21% estimate finalized by EPA.
As a sample of what this means, RFA Vice President of Research and Analysis Geoff Cooper says when LUC emissions are excluded EPA found corn ethanol from a natural gas dry mill reduces GHG emissions by 50% compared to gasoline. With LUC emissions, that benefit falls to around a 20% reduction. Cooper adds there still isn't a shred of indisputable empirical evidence that positively links increased use of grain for ethanol in the United States to conversions of grassland or forest here or in other parts of the world.
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