http ://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/business/25ethanol.html?th&emc=th
For once, this issue of the Times also presented evidence against ethanol, "A Range of Estimates on Ethanol's Benefits." This discusses research by Pimental and Patzek.
Even if ethanol advocates are correct, and the numbers they publish are right, they have no case. This article quotes them: " . . . positive output 67 percent greater than the energy inputs. But others who view ethanol favorably are more conservative, with several estimating the net energy benefit at about 20 percent." Oil and ethanol are used only for transportation, mainly automobiles. We can easily achieve this level of improvement with better efficiency, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and we would not destroy the ecosystem or starve millions of people to death, the way we will with large-scale ethanol production.
- Jed
