The black, white, and grey, of ethanol

The Wall Street Journal MarketWatch
May 14, 2009, 10:26 p.m. EST
By Shawn Langlois, MarketWatch

E10, E15, and how much energy it takes to make and burn the biofuels

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The straight skinny on ethanol as a means to wean the U.S. from foreign oil isn't easy to come by. Corn farmers might point to one study espousing its upside, while plenty of others would be at the ready, armed with a contradictory report.

But there are some aspects of the oft-misunderstood renewable fuel source that are more black and white than others. Here are some ways to clear those up.

The cellulosic kind, which is produced from wood, grasses and other non-edible vegetation, looks to be the future for ethanol as arguments for corn-based ethanol are losing ground.

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