contained in a note from our friend Lucas Patzek:
My father works extensively in the thermodynamics of biofuels (and other energy sources), so you might want to check out some of his papers if you're interested in this subject:
The most popular paper he ever wrote was published in Critical Reviews… in 2004.  Here is the web version of this paper:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/CRPS416-Patzek-Web.pdf
The simple first law paper two parts is here:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/NRRPaper2.pdf
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/NRRPaper2.pdf
A critique of the cellulosic ethanol is here:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/SustainabilityTWP0929Published.pdf
A second law thermodynamic analysis of sustainability of industrial corn agriculture is here:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/ThermodynamicsofAgricultural.pdf
An energy analysis of a sustainable farm (Sunshine Farm in Kansas, part of the Land Institute) is here:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/papers/TheSunshineFarm.pdf
Almost all of his ecological publications are here:
http://gaia.pge.utexas.edu/ecologypublications.html