[Big Dave]

Any biofuel that competes for agricultural resources (arable land and fresh water) is ultimately a bad idea.

Biofuels have to grow in deserts and use salt water. Otherwise they cause the price of food to go up.

It has to rock to be a corn farmer these days. Corn has tripled in price since the ethanol subsidies were enacted. I've seen it over $10/bu on the CBoT. But that means the price of corn flour has also tripled. Tough times in Mexico where corn flour is a staple.

Ethanol (actually denatured alcohol) does have its virtues. It has fabulous octane rating. The Corvette used as a pace car at the Indy 500 had a John Lingenfelter LS7 modified to run on E85. Lingenfelter's company jacked up the compression, advanced the ignition timing and increased the fuel injector size and with Emerson Fittipaldi at the wheel that 'Vette easily did the 150 MPH pace speed these open-wheelers need these days.