There is an ethanol hysteria going on that defies all logic. This stuff costs a fortune to make, uses more fossil fuels in its production than it replaces and is a terrible use for corn in a world that needs corn for food. Sugarcane would be a much better source but a system of government protections that enriches sugar producers eliminates that source. Companies like Archer Daniels Midland, the massive corporate commodity company, have spent hundreds of millions and years creating a mythology of corn as a fuel source to drive prices up.
Am I ranting or going into conspiracy mode? No. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) chose corn ethanol as one of their year’s losers in technology stories. They are the most highly respected standards group for engineers worldwide.
We have no time to pursue short term solutions that are nothing more than farm subsidies.