[BurbankKarl]

But when gasoline reached $4 a gallon, will it make more sense?

[xzins]

In the article it explains that ethanol has less BTUs than gasoline. Therefore, a $3 gallon of gasoline has the same energy as a $4+ gallon of ethanol.

[xzins]

Let me restate that last by using the article. I stated it poorly (wrongly):

According to Tad Patzek, the true costs of corn ethanol to the taxpayers are $3.12 per gallon of ethanol, or $4.74 per gallon of gasoline equivalent GGE—to adjust for the energy difference in the two fuels).

[John Valentine]

But when gasoline reached $4 a gallon, will it make more sense?

No, because the energy input in preparing the land, sowing the seed, nurturing the crop, harvesting it, processing it into ethanol will be more expensive, driving the cost of ethanol similarly higher.

The only way consumers will ever buy into ethanol is if they don't realize they are getting substantially less energy (i.e. milage) and that they are paying far more thn the pump price in federal subsidies.

The desire for energy independence makes us all want to find a way to cut loose from foreign oil, but ethanol is a singularly poor way of accomplishing that goal.

We'd be better advised to let our own energy producers find and develop domestic oil sources with less hostility and blame.