Burning shelled corn as a fuel can be a feasible way of dealing with the high prices of more conventional fuels such as fuel oil, propane, natural gas, coal, and firewood. Utilizing corn as a fuel does not compete with the food supply needed for nourishment throughout the world. While it is recognized that malnutrition is a serious global problem, the world is not experiencing a food production problem. Instead the world faces political challenges associated with providing infrastructure systems for food distribution and storage.

Contemporary agricultural systems can produce sufficient quality and quantity of food for the world’s population, with additional resources available so that agricultural products can be used as fuel, pharmaceuticals, and chemical feedstocks. Shelled corn is a fuel that can be produced within 180 days, compared to the millennia needed to produce fossil fuels.

Heat Energy Content of Shelled Corn — The combustion energy content of shelled corn is a critical factor in making energy comparisons of fuels.

Corn Energy Equivalents — This table provides a method of calculating how much shelled corn would be required to replace the fuel currently being used for heating.

EnergySelector — EnergySelector is a user-friendly decision-aide to easily compare the heating values available from any two energy sources.

Shopping for a Corn-Burning Stove? — Questions to ask when considering the purchase of a corn-burning stove.

Locating a Supplier of Shelled Corn — Do not purchase a corn-burning stove without first identifying a reliable supplier of shelled corn.

Quality of Shelled Corn — For best results, the quality of shelled corn burned in a corn-burning stove must be specified.

Storage Requirements of Shelled Corn — Proper storage of shelled corn is important for good performance of a corn-burning stove.