Why Corn?

Corn is the least expensive fuel source available. The price of corn would have to increase more than 4 times its current price to loose the competitive advantage it has over propane.

Corn is readily available. Michigan corn producers have a long history of providing a cheap, safe, and abundant supply of corn.

Corn burns cleaner than other fuels and is more environmentally friendly. Not only is heating your home with corn an economically smart choice, but an environmentally-friendly alternative as well. Since corn stoves are designed to burn under oxidizing conditions, the resulting smoke is nearly odorless and consists largely of carbon dioxide and steam. Unlike the combustion of ordinary fossil fuels, the carbon dioxide produced during corn burning does not add global-warming, greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Instead, carbon emissions released from corn stoves are reabsorbed in plant matter such as corn through photosynthesis.

Corn is a renewable fuel source. A new crop of corn can be grown in less than one year.

Support your local economy. Instead of sending your dollars to support the Middle East and other oil producing regions, support your local economy by heating with a locally grown, renewable, clean burning fuel.
 

COMPARING CORN TO OTHER AVAILABLE FUELS

ENERGY SOURCE

BTU's/UNIT

Price/Unit
Units to Equal
1 Million BTU
 
Efficiency
Cost per
1 Million BTU
Annual Heating
Cost
Dry Shelled Corn 500,000/bushel

$2.00

2

85%

$4.71

$471
Wood (hardwood) 21.3 mil./cord

$140

.047

75%

$8.77

$877
Natural Gas 100,000/ccf

$1.39

10

85%

$16.35

$1,635
Fuel Oil 139,000/gallon

$2.27

7.2

80%

$20.43

$2,043
Propane 91,000/gallon

$1.93

11

85%

$24.98

$2,498
Electricity 3412/kwh

$.08

293

100%

$23.44

$2,344