We have a large ethanol production plant near where I live. We also have a VERY large area of potato growers. If we see the ethanol product discontinued, converting to using potato’s to produce vodka will be rather easy. The plant already uses corn as the raw material to produce the alcohol “base” for ethanol. Until the petroleum product is introduced into the ethanol stream, the product is nothing more than good ole “moon shine”. Now how good is that, we can produce alcohol out of either corn or potato’s. Life is good!
Fuel ethanol production from sweet potato - CNRS
http://www.cnrs.fr/inee/relationsinternationales/docs/ZHAO_SFseminarweb.pdf
Sweet Potato Out-Yields Corn in Ethanol Production Study
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/080820.htm