Richard Branson doesn't claim to be an energy guru.
But now I am supposedly violating some process boundary. By contrast I surveyed the policy options, and chose what I thought was the most effective response that was both practical and effective. Worse are those who don't get it, but think they do. What I insist upon is that you don't compare half of one process to the full life-cycle of another. Politicians misuse data and arguments all the time. If you think they have no effect on our society, good and bad, then you're wrong. You are not able to understand the difference in metrics.
Imagine going back to 1900 and there is one car, just one. The issue should be use of land, not what you do with what was grown on it. Well that is still being debated and may be subject to technological development. It think you could run your experiment and wind up with something slightly more than 67. The regulating instances should be somewhat enlightened.
Only those willing to be swayed can be swayed by arguments. Then, when I rebut it, they claim it doesn't matter. Probably ethanol won't be the best solution, probably won't be definitive, I don't know, but I'm convinced we must develop or explore all possibilities. The regulating instances should not favor "special interests". As I have noted elsewhere, I am not in any way advocating for grain-based ethanol. Sugar cane production can destroy soil structure and is often abandoned after 3-4 years.
Apparently this can be created from CO2 and electricity source seems credible. This is the way I understand it and it might be not something I can cite a source for but given the proclivities of industrial ag giants I would suggest that there is likely a lot of truth to it. To suggest they do indicates that perhaps you still don't understand my argument. Please tell me you do and explain me how it is different. But that is not the argument people are making in this thread. You can draw your boundary for Process A wherever you like, provided you draw your boundary for Process B in the same location. All RR's mumbo jumbo about conversion and efficiency is just "slight of hand". Yet, fisheries need mud flats so money is not everything.