Isn’t that Ironic?

Biofuels based on ethanol and vegetable oil are popular for reducing fossil fuel dependence and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. However, research shows that some biofuel stocks might do the opposite. In a paper published in Conservation Biology, the authors determined that corn-based ethanol is the worst alternative. Large amounts of energy are required to grow corn and convert it to ethanol; consequently, the net energy gain of the resulting fuel is modest. Using a crop such as switchgrass would require much less energy to produce the fuel; in fact, using algae would require even less. Changing direction to biofuels based on switchgrass or algae would require policy changes, since the technologies to produce such fuels are not developed.