Corn Ethanol

2005 

Ethanol is a renewable fuel, which in the United States, is made from fermenting corn. Many saw it as the potential solution to both global warming and the dependence on oil imports, and large-scale federal subsidy programs commenced. But growing corn and turning it into fuel consumed so much energy that there were no real climate benefits. A decade after the boom, ethanol is viewed as a huge failure that polluted the environment and cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.

Additional info:

Inside Climate News - Corn-Based Ethanol May Be Worse For the Climate Than Gasoline, a New Study Finds

The Guardian - Lawsuit says US environmental agency ignores harm of biofuel production

Food & Water Watch - How Ethanol Worsens the Worst Parts of Our Food System