Energy myths

1. The electric car. Why did it die? Range.

2. Ethanol, efficient? "As a motor fuel, ethanol from corn produces a modest 25 percent more energy than is consumed _ including from fossil fuels _ in growing the corn, converting it into ethanol and shipping it for use in gasoline. While often touted as a "green" environmentally friendly fuel, corn-based ethanol's life cycle environmental impacts are mixed as best, the researchers said. Compared with gasoline, it produces 12 percent less "greenhouse" gasses linked to global warming, according to the study. But the researchers also said it has environmental drawbacks, including "markedly greater" releases of nitrogen, phosphorous and pesticides into waterways as runoff from corn fields. Ethanol, especially at higher concentrations in gasoline, also produce more smog-causing pollutants than gasoline per unit of energy burned, the researchers said."