@Kasz
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_ethanol#Economics
In June 2006, a U.S. Senate hearing was told that the current cost of producing cellulosic ethanol is US $2.25 per US gallon (US $0.59/litre). This is primarily due to the current poor conversion efficiency.[citation needed] At that price it would cost about $120 to substitute a barrel of oil (42 gallons), taking into account the lower energy content of ethanol. However, the Department of Energy is optimistic and has requested a doubling of research funding. The same Senate hearing was told that the research target was to reduce the cost of production to US $1.07 per US gallon (US $0.28/litre) by 2012. "The production of cellulosic ethanol represents not only a step toward true energy diversity for the country, but a very cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels. It is advanced weaponry in the war on oil,” said Vinod Khosla, managing partner of Khosla Ventures, who recently told a Reuters Global Biofuels Summit that he could see cellulosic fuel prices sinking to $1 per gallon within ten years.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_ethanol#Environmental_effects:_corn-based_vs._grass-based
It takes 0.76 J of energy from fossil fuels to produce 1 J worth of ethanol from corn.[53] This total includes the use of fossil fuels used for fertilizer, tractor fuel, ethanol plant operation, etc. Research has shown that 1 gallon of fossil fuel can produce over 5 gallons of ethanol from prairie grasses, according to Terry Riley, President of Policy at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. The United States Department of Energy concludes that corn-based ethanol provides 26 percent more energy than it requires for production, while cellulosic ethanol provides 80 percent more energy.[48] Cellulosic ethanol yields 80 percent more energy than is required to grow and convert it.[54] The process of turning corn into ethanol requires about 1,700 gallons of water for every 1 gallon of ethanol produced. Additionally, each gallon of ethanol leaves behind 12 gallons of waste that must be disposed.[55] Grain ethanol uses only the edible portion of the plant. Expansion of corn acres for the production of ethanol poses threats to biodiversity. Corn lacks a strong root system, therefore, when produced, it causes soil erosion. This has a direct effect on soil particles, along with excess fertilizers and other chemicals, washing into local waterways, damaging water quality and harming aquatic life. Planting riparian areas can serve as a buffer to waterways, and decrease runoff.
Here is some stuff that Europeans are working on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passivhaus (which is an ultra-low energy buildings standard)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_efficiency_in_British_housing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Hydrogen_7 (a zero emission vehicle no-one would be ashamed to own and drive)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Fuels (Sir Richard Branson's investment division into alternative energy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windmill (while Europeans did not invent the windmill, they did perfect it which leads us to the modern use of the basic idea which is:)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_the_European_Union
