They still require high initial investments, but over time they actually save money because there are no recurring fuel costs. The killer used to be that solar and wind plants used to incur expensive maintenance/replacement costs before they made back the initial investment. With newer, more efficient technologies, this is no longer the case.

So... how much do these "newer, more efficient technologies" cost to maintain? How much do they save?

As for ethanol, I have NEVER heard of "oil-based fertilizers" as a criticism before. Ever. Come to think of it, I didn't even know there are "oil-based" fertilizers. I'll ask my friend, who happens to be a farmer and see what he says.

One key issue with ethanol is that it competes with food, and subsequently jacks up the price - emphasis on corn. The "Renewable Fuels Association" even claims this as some good thing (http://www.ethanolrfa.org/pages/ethanol-facts-agriculture).