Heading up the Growth Energy campaign, Gen Wesley Clark is highlighting the energy security credentials of US biofuels

The US ethanol industry is stepping up its lobbying efforts this week, with a new national TV advert fronted by retired General Wesley K Clark.

Facing an attack by the Brazilian ethanol industry, which is seeking to end trade tariffs on biofuels imported into the US, as well as pressure at home to end lucrative subsidies, the US campaign wants to “reach beyond the Beltway” to appeal to the wider American public for support.

The Growth Energy campaign, as it is called, is paying out $2.5 million to put TV spots in prime time positions on cable networks including Fox, MSNBC, CNN and HLN to hit back at what it suggests is an unfair treatment by opponents like the oil industry.

The move comes as the oil industry is taking the EPA to court over legal requirements to use biofuels.

“Ethanol is America’s fuel: it’s made here in the U.S., it creates U.S. jobs, and it contributes to America’s national and economic security,” says Gen Clark as part of the campaign.

The New York Times casts a reflective eye today on the corn versus sugarcane battle, in which both sides are trying to promote biofuels while sniping at each other’s versions of the product.

It points out that on the surface, the US industry is hitting back against the oil industry. But, adds:

Some of the ethanol trade groups’ ads target each other indirectly, with the sugar-cane ads arguing, “Americans cannot benefit from this clean, less expensive alternative if Congress continues to maintain trade barriers against imported ethanol.” One fuel ad offers “ethanol has not shipped a single job overseas.”

The Brazilian campaign insists that support for foreign biofuels would not see ethanol jobs lost overseas, and that American consumers would ultimately be the winners with increased competition in the sizable and growing US biofuels market.

The US lobby points out that attempting to improve national security by weaning America off foreign oil, only to get hooked on foreign biofuels instead makes no sense.

In this battle for American hearts and minds, you can’t help but feel there will be no winners. Renewable energy does best when those supporting it stick together – an industry at war with itself is always the weaker for it.

Perhaps a better way to improve the public image of biofuels production at the moment would be to wean the industry off using coal to generate its own energy, and prevent the pollution that goes with the use of fossil fuels.

Using coal to produce a supposedly “renewable” fuel – now that really is something that makes no sense.