Ethanol isn't the only choice. The more fuel alcohols we can produce from a variety of plants the better.

Using non-food plants to make alcohol reduces the impact on food prices and can make good use of organic waste. Energy production can also be more localized. Underdeveloped countries can be energy producers.

Engineer Robert Zubrin in Energy Victory: Winning the War on Terror by Breaking Free of Oil makes a convincing case that energy independence is a national security priority and that alcohol fuels are the easiest and fastest way to achieve that. Other alcohols—methanol and butanol—can be used as well ethanol. Zubrin also recommends mandating all new vehicles be flex-fuel to handle alcohols, gasoline or any combination of these.

“By making a willful strategic decision to switch from petroleum to alcohol fuels, we can redirect trillions of dollars that are now going to the terror bankers to finance death, and send it to the world’s farmers to create life,” he states.