,”

Political leaders, both in Wisconsin and nationally, are calling for developing ethanol, but this alternative fuel has some disadvantages along with the benefits.

Tuesday, Gov. Jim Doyle gave the State of the State address, in which he stressed the need for increased support for renewable fuels.

"There is no question that global warming demands immediate action by the federal government," Doyle said, but he also emphasized the need for everyone to take part in the solution. He announced the creation of a global warming task force "to develop a comprehensive plan of action that we can all get behind."

Doyle also introduced the new Office of Energy Independence, which will promote increased funding, research and usage of renewable energy such as solar power, biodiesel and ethanol.

In the State of the Union address last week, President Bush also commented on the importance of alternative fuels.

"Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy," the president said.

He also mentioned a mandatory fuels standard that would require 35 billion gallons of renewable and alternative fuels by 2017 in his address.

"We must continue investing in new methods of producing ethanol," Bush said.

Ethanol, as defined by the Department of Energy, is "a colorless liquid that is distilled from agricultural crops." It is a combustible compound that produces less air-polluting byproducts than gasoline. Fuel producers mix ethanol with gasoline to produce a fuel that can supply energy and produce less harmful gasses. One in eight gallons of gasoline sold in the United States contains ethanol, according to the department. The most common formula, E10, contains 10 percent ethanol.

Benefits of ethanol include the substitution of domestically-produced fuel for imported oil, increased profits for U.S. farmers and cleaner air.

There are many drawbacks, however, in choosing ethanol as the primary source of renewable energy.

Gail Schumann, adjunct professor of biological sciences, said that ethanol does not solve the problem of destructive air emissions. Ethanol still gives off carbon dioxide, which is considered a big contributor to global warming. Production is costly, Schumann said, because it is difficult to distill and concentrate ethanol after the fermentation process.

Additionally, only the ear of corn is practical to convert into ethanol, meaning lots of energy is wasted to grow the corn, as is the majority of the plant itself. Research is underway to efficiently convert agricultural waste like corn stalks or wood chips, which are much more plentiful and require no extra growing costs, into ethanol.

There is also debate over the actual energy output and efficiency of ethanol. According to the Energy Department, the differnce between the energy content of ethanol and gasoline is slight. But William Hunter, associate professor of finance, contends that the contrast is not minor.

According to Hunter, ethanol only produces about 30 percent more energy than is necessary to manufacture it, which is miniscule compared to the 1,000 percent net gain in the energy output of gasoline. The "Ethanol Sham," as Hunter refers to the idea, is not an option for permanent renewable energy.

An alternative energy source that has been considered in the last few years is natural gas. Also called methane, it is the cleanest burned gas, producing only water and CO2-DESIGNERS, MAKE THE 2 A SUBSCRIPT – TIM, and is "cleaner than burning a log in your fireplace," said Ron Brown, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Beyond just heating homes and running ovens, natural gas is already in use by some companies in full-sized fleet cars and trucks, not just puny go-karts. A prime obstacle, however, hindering any progress toward mass production of these vehicles is building and stocking fueling stations. Natural gas providers are currently producing enough for demand, but government restrictions on drilling limit the amount providers can supply to the public.

"We're kind of stuck with a liquid fuel kind of economy," Schumann said, but she believes that "it's a viable piece of the puzzle." Instead, Schumann supports the shift from corn to agricultural waste in ethanol production.

Hunter said he hopes that the government will not make the decision of which fuel will advance to the next stage – instead, he "would like the market to sort this out rather than the government."

“