CARBON INTENSITY ESTIMATOR:

45Z Calculator

What could lower-carbon corn be worth?

If you sell corn to an ethanol plant, the carbon intensity (CI) of how you grow it is becoming part of its value. Under the federal 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, fuel made from lower-CI corn earns a larger credit, and that creates room for low CI grain to be worth more at the elevator. Enter a few details to see an illustrative estimate.

Your fields

Corn acres

acres

Average yield

U.S. avg ≈ 180 bu/acre.

bu / acre

Practices you use today (or could adopt)

The three practice families the proposed 45Z rules recognize for feedstock CI.

Reduced-till or no-till Less soil disturbance keeps more carbon in the ground and cuts fuel use. Est. −5 to −8 CI points Cover crops Living roots between cash crops build soil carbon and trim nitrogen losses. Est. −6 to −10 CI points Enhanced-efficiency fertilizer Right rate, source, timing and placement lowers nitrous-oxide emissions. Est. −2 to −4 CI points

Estimated impact

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CI reduction (points)

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Added value per bushel

Select a practice

Illustrative value per year

Toggle a practice above to see an estimate.

Estimate only — not an official CI score. This tool provides a rough, illustrative estimate for educational purposes. It does not calculate an official carbon intensity (CI) score, is not produced using the USDA or DOE models that determine eligibility for the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, and cannot be reported, claimed, or submitted to any ethanol producer, verifier, or government agency. It is not a verified, guaranteed, or reportable result. Actual CI and any resulting value depend on your specific fields, the final federal methodology (which is not yet complete), independent third-party verification, and your agreement with your buyer. EarthOptics is a soil intelligence company that measures and documents field data — we do not set, pay, or guarantee any credit value. Nothing here is tax, legal, financial, or agronomic advice.

Where EarthOptics fits

Every number above stands on documented, field-level data — the kind a plant’s certifier and an ISO-accredited verifier will ask for. EarthOptics is a soil intelligence company: we measure and document your soil and practices to substantiate low-CI corn. We’re your measurement and documentation partner — not a carbon buyer, and never between you and your grain.

What would you like to do next?

Learn more about the 45Z program
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