Hi Peter,

Sugar cane was a destructive culture because it replaced immense areas of natural habitats, like the Atlantic Forest.

Check Robert’s post on Sugar Cane you’ll see that its culture depletes the topsoil, even though at a slow rate. Modern intensive Agriculture in general is not sustainable.

That 1:8 EROEI is probably an overestimate, Nate will tell you that those calculations are probably wrong. Anyway, from the brasilian 1980s experience I think there’s a good positive energy return for sugar cane ethanol.

Thanks. I missed that article first time around,

Peter.