ðɛɹ stˈʌdiz kəntˈɛnd ðæt ˈɛθɐnˌɑːl, ænd bˌaɪoʊfjˈuːəlz ɪn dʒˈɛnɚɹəl, ɑːɹ "ˈɛnɚdʒi nˈɛɡətˌɪv", mˈiːnɪŋ ðeɪ tˈeɪk mˈoːɹ ˈɛnɚdʒi tə pɹədˈuːs ðɐn ɪz kəntˈeɪnd ɪnðə fˈaɪnəl pɹˈɑːdʌkt.
Their studies contend that ethanol, and biofuels in general, are "energy negative", meaning they take more energy to produce than is contained in the final product.