The real bottom line is that the cost of anything isn't the minimum ammount that they can deliver it for, but the maximum amount they can screw us out of since we need it.
Five years ago I was told that ethanol would become a popular fuel once the cost of gasoline reached $2.25 gal. What the guy talking forgot was that when the bottom line goes up, so does every other line including the top. That is the reality of a market economy. We pay exactly what we are willing to give for fuel, and once we say ENOUGH, we find an alternative whether it be walking, ethanol, a bicycle etc.
The price, and therefore the economy of ethanol is dependent on the cost and availability of the product used to make it whether that be corn, sugar, or some other source.
Looking at the efficiency of ethanol vs gasoline, its obvious that we still cannot beat God at making the better product.

Yeah, and the craptastic thing about the ethonal craze is that our food costs are going to soar as well. I like to eat corn fed animals etc. Argh. Isn't bitching about being a big fat American fun? In the words of paris Hilton-Do you love it?

You can make ethanol yourself. It costs about $1 a gallon.