Ethanol Takes Energy to Produce
OC Times May 5, 02
With re "Emphasize Ethanol" ltr May 4:  Producing ethanol from corn is a net energy loser. The amount of energy needed to produce a gallon of ethanol - fuel, for mechanized equipment to plant, harvest the corn, subsequent fermentation
and distillation - is more than the energy obtained from the ethanol produced.  The energy to produce the ethanol is obtained from oil.  Thus, increased reliance on 
ethanol does not decrease our dependence on oil; it increases it.  If only 10% of
US fuel need to be ethanol, the necessary corn would have to be grown on 500 million acres of land, more than the total arable land area of the US.
Ethanol producers have long been aware of these facts and have largely abandoned this 'alternative fuel' approach to their pork barrel.  Instead, they are promoting it as a clean-air additive, however unecessary that may be.
Richard J Kolodziej
Simi Valley CA