[KamperKen]

Thanks for the additional info. I merely was mentioning that I had heard of one study that said corn-to-ethanol generated a net energy loss. I wasn’t aware of other such studies, their sources, the self-interest of the parties generating them or what the consensus of such studies might indicate.

My inclination is to conclude that anything government mandated has to make the problem worse.

[thackney]

Another study to consider concerning ethanol's energy input/output ratio is from the main source pushing it. Our government.

From the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, part of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Center they discuss the Energy Balance of Ethanol.

http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/ethanol_balance.html

Here you will find the following: Ethanol - The complete Energy Lifecycle Picture Brochure
http://www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/program/ethanol_brochure_color.pdf

On the third page we find:
Total Btu Spent for One Btu Available at Fuel Pumps

You will see by their study more energy is put into creating the fuel, than the fuel contains itself.

This study was orignially created by Michael Wang, Ph.D. from the Center for Transportation Research/Argonne National Laboratory for the Corn Growers Association promoting ethanol.

Argonne expert addresses energy, environmental impacts of fuel ethanol
http://www.anl.gov/Media_Center/News/2005/news050823.html