If your vistors take a moment to read (link below) the objective appraisal of the liklihood of cellulosic ethanol becoming commercial anytime soon, or ever, they will do themseles a large favor by not investing a dime in that dead end idea.

Wish we had thought a bit more of the whole system and how pieces must fit when the Democratic candidates dished up corn ethanol to get the farm vote. We are really not a clever specie; we just think we are.

http://littlebloginthebigwoods.blogspot.com/ 2007/ 10/ fuelish-fantasies.html

An interesting collection of authors and (bite-size) policy papers from The Economists Voice, released yesterday… just fyi…

The Economists’ Voice, The Berkeley Electronic Press
[i][b]Special Issue: Global Climate Change[/b][/i]

Joseph Stiglitz “A New Agenda for Global Warming”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 3: No. 7, Article 3.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol3/iss7/art3
SUMMARY:
Joseph E. Stiglitz presents his plan for getting the United States and the Developing World to address global warming, and argues that by failing to address this problem, the United States is implicitly subsidizing energy usage and engaging in unfair trade practices.

Sheila M. Olmstead and Robert N. Stavins (2007) “A Meaningful Second Commitment Period for the Kyoto Protocol”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 1.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art1
SUMMARY:
Robert Stavins and Sheila Olmstead propose ways to modify the Kyoto Protocol for its second commitment period (2012-2016) so that it will provide a way forward that is scientifically sound, economically rational, and politically pragmatic.

Kenneth J. Arrow (2007) “Global Climate Change: A Challenge to Policy”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 2.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art2
SUMMARY:
Kenneth J. Arrow explains why something must be done to limit global warming even if the Stern Report inadequately discounted future costs.

Thomas C. Schelling (2007) “Climate Change: The Uncertainties, the Certainties and What They Imply About Action”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 3.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art3
SUMMARY:
Thomas Schelling argues although the uncertainties regarding climate change are many, the certainties create certain urgencies and inaction is an extreme position; he emphasizes technological advance and governmental sponsorship.

Lawrence H. Goulder (2007) “California’s Bold New Climate Policy”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 5.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art5
SUMMARY:
Lawrence Goulder describes California’s recent commitments addressing Global Climate Change and recommends that a cap-and-trade program play a key role in achieving the state’s climate policy goals.

Scott Barrett (2007) “Proposal for a New Climate Change Treaty System”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 6.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art6
SUMMARY:
The existing international agreements on climate change are inadequate, according to Scott Barrett, and a new approach is needed.

Joshua S. Gans (2007) “Do Voluntary Carbon Offsets Work?”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 4, Article 7.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss4/art7
SUMMARY:
Voluntary purchases of offsets for carbon emissions have been criticized as potentially increasing emissions. However, Joshua S. Gans argues that even if offsets do increase the consumption of carbon intensive goods, net emissions will always fall because these goods will become less carbon intensive.

Rognvaldur Hannesson (2007) “Letter: The Other Problems with the Stern Report”, The Economists’ Voice: Vol. 4: No. 3, Article 4.
http://www.bepress.com/ev/vol4/iss3/art4
SUMMARY:
The Stern Report seems optimistic about the cost of emissions reductions, and does not seriously face the fact that stabilizing the climate could require keeping much of the world in poverty, according to Rognvaldur Hannesson.