Despite all the problems with Ethanol there are some facts that cannot be discussed off the table:

-) It burns cleaner (there is NO sulphur in ethanol to begin with)
-) The CO2 load of Ethanol is negative (it takes more carbon to make ethanol than you emit, effectively cleaning the atmosphere)

Yes, more expensive
Yes, less energy content (I wish they had a similar system as they have with diesel where the energy content of the fuel is also part of the equation)