The AIADA newsletter reported that a study published today by five researchers at the University of California-Berkeley claims the idea of ethanol being a more energy friendly substitute than gasoline is not entirely true, but ethanol made from corn can indeed reduce the overall petroleum use and provide less greenhouse gas emissions than regular gas.

Many studies on the topic have come to contradictory conclusions or had a major difference in the amount of energy gained by using ethanol in place of other fuels, reports The Los Angeles Times.

The study's findings on which kinds of ethanol are the most environmentally-friendly may influence California’s developing plan to cut greenhouse gases. “

If California wants to reduce greenhouse gases by using ethanol, it’s going to have to pay attention to how it’s made," commented lead author of the study Alex Farrell. “We have done a very great service by asking the right question, which is, ’Can agricultural processes produce a fuel that is good for the environment?’”