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Gas and fuel oil prices frequently rise because of
commodity market pressures, wars, weather,
politics, supply availability, and other factors. You should know that corn is readily available in North
America. These domestically produced fuels are virtually immune to war, weather,
and politics, which means that the prices remain steady and are highly
competitive with fuel oil and gas. Domestically produced corn is also renewable energy sources, which do not deplete natural resources. When
you use domestically produced fuel such corn you
support your country's economy and at the same time help keep your fuel bills
under control and within your budget.
Heating Cost Comparison for Traditional and Alternative
Fuels
The heat output of fuels is measured in British Thermal
Units (BTUs). One BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of
one pound of water by one degree. The table below compares the relative costs of
corn, wood, and wood pellets to traditional fossil fuels. And because different
stoves, heaters, and furnaces have varying levels of efficiency in burning
fuels, the Effective Cost column is a more accurate comparison of the different
fuels and appliances.
In most cases, equipment used to burn corn (and other
fuels) is not 100% efficient, so it is important to use burner efficiency in
calculations for heat output. When comparing costs for using different fuels, it
is easiest to compare cost per unit of energy produced; cost per million Btu is
a common way to compare fuel costs. Cost per unit of fuel, energy content per
unit of fuel, and burner efficiency all need to be considered in calculating
fuel costs.
Example: Calculate the cost per million BTU for 15%
moisture shelled corn that costs $1.75 per bushel and is burned in a stove that
has an efficiency of 85%.
Cost per million BTU = [$1.75/bu ÷ (448,000 Btu/bu x 0.85 efficiency)] x
1,000,000 = $4.60 per million BTU
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Heating Cost
Comparison |
|
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 pound |
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 |
91690 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 |
*Please remember that market prices will vary, and these
costs comparisons may need to be re-calculated based on current commodity market
conditions.
Learn More About Heating with Corn
Burning shelled corn as a fuel can be a feasible way of
dealing with the high prices of more conventional fuels such as fuel oil,
propane, natural gas, coal, and firewood. Utilizing corn as a fuel does not
compete with the food supply needed for nourishment throughout the world. While
it is recognized that malnutrition is a serious global problem, the world is not
experiencing a food production problem. Instead the world faces political
challenges associated with providing infrastructure systems for food
distribution and storage.
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. Shelled corn is a fuel that can be
produced within 180 days, compared to the millennia needed to produce fossil
fuels.
More information about heating with corn is available
online from the
Penn
State University, and the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
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