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Energy Requirements and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Maize Production in the USA

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Abstract

This meta-study quantitatively and qualitatively compares 21 published life cycle assessment (LCA)-type studies for energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of maize production in the USA. Differences between the methodologies and numerical results obtained are described. Nonrenewable energy consumption in maize production (from cradle-to-farm gate) ranges from 1.44 to 3.50 MJ/kg of maize, and GHG emissions associated with maize production range from −27 to 436 g CO2 equivalent/kg of maize. Large variations between studies exist within the input data for lime application, fuels purchased, and life cycle inventory data for fertilizer and agrochemical production. Although most studies use similar methodological approaches, major differences between studies include the following: (1) impacts associated with human labor and farm machinery production, (2) changes in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from soil organic carbon levels, and (3) indirect N2O emissions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by National Corn Growers Association and DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (DOE BER Office of Science DE-FC02-07ER64494 and DOE OBP Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy DE-AC05-76RL01830). The authors wish to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, 3815 Technology Boulevard, Lansing, MI, 48910, USA

    Seungdo Kim & Bruce E. Dale

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, 3815 Technology Boulevard, Lansing, MI, 48910, USA

    Seungdo Kim & Bruce E. Dale

  3. National Corn Growers Association, 632 Cepi Drive, Chesterfield, MO, 63005, USA

    Pam Keck

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  1. Seungdo Kim
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  2. Bruce E. Dale
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Correspondence to Seungdo Kim.

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Kim, S., Dale, B.E. & Keck, P. Energy Requirements and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Maize Production in the USA. Bioenerg. Res. 7, 753–764 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-013-9399-z

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