[NVDave]

I’m sorry — page 2:

Here’s the text:

Some confusion arises because a portion of the total (not fossil or petroleum) energy input in the ethanol cycle is the “free” solar energy that ends up in the corn. Since the solar energy is free,
renewable, and environmentally benign, it should not be taken into account in the energy balance calculations.
While the total (includes solar) energy needed to produce a unit of ethanol is more than the total energy needed to produce a unit of gasoline, ethanol is superior when calculating either
(1) the amount of fossil energy needed or
(2) the amount of petroleum energy needed
(see GREET results in Figure 2).

[thackney]

Part of the confusion of those charts are that they also use the energy contained in the gasoline as part of the “cost” of the energy. Technically correct but misleading when people associate it with energy that must be spent to produce it.

[nomorelurker]

Thanks for posting that. I’ve seen these numbers tossed around and it was never clear to me how the solar component was treated. I wonder how the free work the yeast does in fermentation is treated as well?