Quote:

(70% as efficient as gasoline, therefore not a great alternative fuel).


Ken, I don't want to seem like i'm attacking you on that quote, but those numbers are actually very, very incorrect and quite misleading. They came as a result of a single study about 10 years ago, but the mathematics were severely flawed and the study results have since been discredited. Numerous other studies have been released in the past number of years proving the energy gain of ethanol production. Plus there have been major advancements in ethanol production since then which has allowed effeciency to end up some where around 120 or 130% (i've got old emails on this but i'm too lazy to dig up - suffice is to say there is definitely a net energy gain). As well, ethanol has been used to replace MTBE in fuel which was a known carcinogen. Plus it is good for farmers. Win - win - win. To be honest the largest net energy gain available from biofuels is contained in biodiesel, which has exploded in Europe but is slowly being adopted in North America.

Again my apologies for seeming to pounce on this, but i work in the ag industry so it's one of the very few things in life that i know anything about!

"Chickens don't clap."