[rellimpank]

---as an aside, I'd like to know a little more on the physical production of ethanol--for example, what are the boilers fueled by in the distillation process?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Depends on where they're located. ADM's plants in Decatur and Cedar Rapids are fueled by coal, burned in fluidized bed (limestone injection to control emissions) boilers. The smaller plants around the midwest are fueld by natural gas. In both cases, it takes more heating value to make ethanol than is in the ethanol. But using a low rank fuel like coal to manufacture a high rank fuel does seem logical.