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Razzle-dazzling the reps at a Select Committee hearing on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Agassi explained that if the average American got 25 miles (40 kms) per gallon (3.8 litres) and paid $4 for every gallon guzzled, he’d end up paying 16 cents per mile (1.6km). Still with us? Meanwhile, the operating costs of an electric car, including the depreciation of the battery, works out at only six cents a mile. Savings in Europe where petrol is even more ludicrously expensive would be significantly higher.

"The whole idea of carbon pricing is that if it doesn't hurt it won't work," he told Canberra ABC radio today. "Essentially, prices, for example for petrol as well as a whole bunch of other things, have to go up in order to encourage us to be more careful with how much we use and in order to encourage business to come up with new ways of getting it to us in ways that don't pump out greenhouse gases."

Purchasing ethanol from so far away may seem a little counter-intuitive, but Anders Fredikson, VP of Sekab, says that this sustainable ethanol will reduce CO2 emissions from farming, production and transportation to Sweden by 85% compared with petrol. Plus, mills will receive 5-10% more for their traceable product than mills that do not adhere to the sustainability guidelines. Half of the 800 million liters of ethanol consumed by Sweden per year is supplied by Brazil, so going with sustainable ethanol will make a significant impact.

As biofuels soar in popularity, the cost of filling Americans’ gas tanks could be influenced as much by hail in Iowa as by the bombing of an oil pipeline in Nigeria. - Inspired by Jad Mouawad, The New York Times