India, Oct. 30 -- Science alone makes ethanol seem like an inefficient fuel. The conversion efficiency of sunlight-to-biomass-energy is a low percentage figure for sugarcane, compared to around 20% for sunlight-to-electricity through solar panels. And food security is sacrosanct. So, why go for ethanol?

The typical reason why a fuel is chosen is economics: People always want a cheaper alternative. But this isn't always a sufficient driver. Energy security is another consideration. A third factor, especially in the case of ethanol in India, is what we can call human-fiscal equilibrium. Even if ethanol doesn't save us money, it changes the recipient of this money - from foreign sellers of oil to India's farmers.

These are the reasons why ...