About three years ago I had a discussion with a Senior USDA representative after a presentation on Biofuels, including Ethanol. I challenged the assumption that this would help replace fossil fuels due to the obvious EROI problems. He confided to me that they were aware of the problems but were "kick starting" the program on corn while betting on fischer trope solutions in the long term. I was aware of a pilot plant in Mississippi claiming to do about 180 gallons per ton with a gasification to catalytic conversion, so I accepted his claim as probably accurate. Unfortunately I don't think today we are beyond the pilot plant stage. But regardless, it tends to support Khosla's claim for the method in the madness behind  his efforts..