Japan’s ministry of economy, trade and industry is exploring improving the carbon intensity score of corn ethanol produced in the U.S.
Carbon intensity is defined as the measure of greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing and consuming a transportation fuel. It is measured in grams of carbon dioxide per megajoule of energy (gCO2e/MJ).
The improvement would see the carbon-intensity score of U.S. corn ethanol go from 43.15 gCO2e/MJ to 37.1 gCO2e/MJ.
Prior to 2018, Japan only used Brazilian ethanol made from sugarcane because the government saw it as a better alternative than U.S. corn ethanol.