Right now, the race is on to find ways to drastically increase the production of ethanol.
There are several companies looking at turning plant cellulose into ethanol, most already reaching the point of building a pilot plant to test scaling up the technology. Because plant cellulose is far more common than corn, wheat and sugar beet production combined, this could open the way to make ethanol on a scale that makes the Brazilian ethanol program seem like a minor event in comparison.
And this is only the beginning: the use of special oil-laden algae "fed" by smokestack emissions could make it possible grow enough algae to produce hundreds of millions of gallons of biologically-based diesel fuel/heating oil per year just in the USA alone by retrofitting current coal-fired and natural gas-fired powerplants, with the "waste" from the processing of the algae capable of being processed further into ethanol rather easily.
In short, technology outruns the naysayers again. 
"Special oil laden algae."
Can you give us some links on this whole algae business. I have a friend who is very enthusiastic as well. My biggest question is where will they grow this algae? Will it require the construction of vast water tanks, or the digging of multitudes of ponds?
And this is only the beginning: the use of special oil-laden algae "fed" by smokestack emissions could make it possible grow enough algae to produce hundreds of millions of gallons of biologically-based diesel fuel/heating oil per year just in the USA alone by retrofitting current coal-fired and natural gas-fired powerplants, with the "waste" from the processing of the algae capable of being processed further into ethanol rather easily. In short, technology outruns the naysayers again.
What sweet irony that would be. Most of our energy problems are cause by the left trying to cripple the US through environmental regulations and prohibitions, and now by controling supply. For that to spur American ingenuity into making their oil weapon obsolete when be the best possible revenge.