The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) continues to evolve, and with every change comes new compliance challenges—and new opportunities—for ethanol producers. While the RFS was originally designed to ensure greater adoption of renewable fuels, its latest updates reflect a much bigger picture: the fight against climate change and the push toward a low-carbon, clean energy future.
At the heart of these updates is a sharper focus on carbon intensity (CI)—a measure of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced over the full life cycle of fuel production. For ethanol producers, this means success is no longer measured by gallons alone. The real question today is: What is your carbon intensity score?
What Is a Carbon Intensity Score?
A carbon intensity score measures the total amount of greenhouse gases released during the production, distribution, and use of a fuel. This includes carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and other emissions generated across the entire supply chain.
For ethanol, the carbon intensity score takes into account:
- Feedstock choices (corn, crops, or alternative biomass).
- Fossil fuels used to power plant operations.
- Energy efficiency in systems like distillation, dehydration, and evaporation.
- Transportation and distribution logistics.
CI is measured in grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule of energy (gCO₂e/MJ). Regulatory programs like California’s LCFS (Low Carbon Fuel Standard) and Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) rely on CI calculators to determine whether fuels qualify for credits and market access.
In simple terms: your CI score reflects your carbon footprint per unit of energy.
How Is a Carbon Intensity Score Calculated?
While each program has slightly different rules, the general carbon intensity score calculation follows a life-cycle analysis (LCA). This “well-to-wheel” approach accounts for:
- Crop production – Corn or other feedstocks require fertilizer, land use, and energy inputs. Fertilizer application in particular releases nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas.
- Transportation – Moving crops and ethanol involves diesel and other fossil fuel emissions.
- Plant operations – Energy use during distillation and drying is often the largest contributor to CI.
- Co-products and credits – Byproducts like distillers’ grains can offset some emissions in the CI calculator.
For producers, knowing how to calculate carbon intensity score is critical, as small changes in efficiency, energy sourcing, or crop management can shift CI results—and therefore compliance and profitability.
What Is a Good Carbon Intensity Score?
So, what is a good carbon intensity score? That depends on the program you’re aiming for.
- Under California’s LCFS, gasoline has a baseline CI of around 100 gCO₂e/MJ. Ethanol must fall significantly below that to generate valuable credits.
- Corn ethanol can vary widely, with CI scores typically ranging from 50–70 gCO₂e/MJ depending on plant design, energy inputs, and feedstock sourcing.
- The lower the CI, the greater the access to tax credits, incentives, and premium markets.
Plants that consistently achieve CI reductions are more competitive, more profitable, and better aligned with long-term sustainability goals.
Why Carbon Intensity Matters Now
Policy trends make one thing clear: carbon reduction is not optional. With the transportation sector under increasing pressure to cut emissions, ethanol producers must adapt.
Lowering CI impacts nearly every corner of a plant’s business:
- Compliance – Meeting evolving RFS, LCFS, and CFR requirements.
- Profitability – Low-CI gallons qualify for premium pricing and tax credits.
- Sustainability – Reduced GHG emissions strengthen ethanol’s role in the clean energy transition.
- Future-proofing – Regulations will only get stricter; early movers gain long-term advantage.
In short, CI is no longer just an environmental metric—it’s a competitive score.
Carbon Intensity and Corn Ethanol
Corn remains the dominant feedstock for U.S. ethanol production, but its CI score depends heavily on agricultural practices and plant efficiency.
- Fertilizer use and soil management directly impact nitrous oxide emissions.
- Crop transportation adds fuel-related carbon.
- Energy use in the distillation process is often the single biggest driver of CI.
However, with improved energy efficiency and process optimization, corn ethanol can achieve significant CI reductions, making it a strong contender in low-carbon markets. am works closely with customers to ensure responsive service, rapid problem-solving, and long-term operational success.
The NEXT Advantage: Lower CI Without Losing Throughput
This is where NEXT from RCM Thermal Kinetics comes in. NEXT was developed to help ethanol plants not only meet compliance requirements but also thrive in the new low-carbon economy.
NEXT upgrades the most energy-intensive stages of ethanol production—Distillation, Dehydration, and Evaporation (DD&E)—delivering:
- Improved Process Efficiency – Streamlined DD&E reduces steam demand, lowering fossil fuel use and overall CI.
- Energy Source Flexibility – With reduced steam needs, plants can shift toward cleaner heat sources.
- Water & Heat Recovery – Captures waste heat and water, further cutting energy losses and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Capacity Gains – Unlike many retrofits, NEXT enables plants to increase throughput while driving CI scores down.
This approach transforms carbon intensity compliance from a burden into a profit-driving opportunity.
From Compliance to Competitive Edge
Integrating NEXT into your plant’s operations offers multiple benefits:
- Meet evolving CI standards under RFS, LCFS, and Canada’s CFR.
- Generate valuable credits through lower CI scores.
- Reduce greenhouse gases including CO₂ and N₂O across the ethanol life cycle.
- Strengthen sustainability profile to attract investors and buyers focused on ESG goals.
- Increase margins by producing more gallons of ethanol with fewer emissions.
NEXT positions plants not just for today’s compliance needs but for tomorrow’s opportunities in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), clean hydrogen, and broader renewable markets.
CI, Clean Energy, and the Bigger Picture
The push toward CI reduction is more than a policy shift—it’s part of the global response to climate change. Every ton of carbon dioxide avoided moves the transportation sector closer to net-zero goals. Ethanol, once judged solely on its ability to displace petroleum, is now a proven pathway toward sustainable, low-carbon fuels.
By addressing CI at the plant level, producers help reduce the overall carbon footprint of the fuel supply chain. And with greater public demand for clean energy, every improvement in CI strengthens ethanol’s long-term role in a decarbonized economy.
The Bottom Line
Navigating the new RFS rules requires more than just hitting volume targets. The future of ethanol lies in producing smarter, more sustainable fuel—lowering CI while increasing efficiency and profitability.
NEXT empowers ethanol producers to:
- Understand and improve their carbon intensity score calculation.
- Compete in premium markets by achieving good carbon intensity scores.
- Leverage CI calculators and compliance programs like California’s LCFS.
- Cut emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and other greenhouse gases.
- Reduce reliance on fossil fuels through improved energy efficiency.
- Build resilience and long-term profitability in the clean energy transition.
Don’t just adapt to new rules—use them to your advantage. Talk with our expert engineers today to schedule a site evaluation and see how NEXT can deliver measurable reductions in carbon intensity scores, stronger compliance, and greater profitability for your ethanol facility.