Nontropical Climates: ADM.....Archer Daniels Midland ...................................................................... Tropical climates Cane production and distillery ..................................................................... What other models are viable ?
US corn (maize)-based ethanol is not thermodynamically or economically feasible. ADM's success in that business is entirely due to taxpayer money. Why all the squealing about "welfare cheats" and nothing about ADM? The fundamental physics of sugar cane based ethanol is far better and works properly in Brazil. Potentially, with 20 years of research and technology investment, cellulosic ethanol from genetically engineered energy crops may be feasible in temperate climates.
Fischer-Tropsch process for biowaste to produce synth. gasoline and diesel. No need for infrastructure changes. In time, genetically engineered algae might do the work (mainly hydrogen).