As for the cost of producing ethanol, corn is not a good raw material to use for it. Using switchgrass or sugarcane produces much more yield at a lower cost per gallon.
That's what the switchgrass growers want people to think. They don't mention that switchgrass has to have extra steps to break down the cellulose before it can be processed to manufacture ethanol. Corn doesn't require those steps. And even at that, you can use any high sugar yeild crop to make it, apples, peaches, grapes, corn, wheat, rice, just stay away from bananas.
BTW, corn used for ethanol production is not the same corn used for human consumption. It's primarily feed stock for cattle. The process used to make ethanol actualy makes the end leftovers better livestock feed.
