Comments on: Profit From the First Biofuel Winner – Before it Goes Public

By: steve

steve — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:56:14 +0000

Jatropha doesn't look so promising. Read the Wikipedia link, and the numerous articles linked in it. Many are saying the plant is indeed a great producer, but to do that needs LOTS of water and fertilizer, both scarce and expensive for the huge crops needed. Also would compete with food crops since the many experiments on marginal lands so far are considered failures due to low yield. Be careful what you invest in!

By: Nanoo Vistor

Nanoo Vistor — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:27:09 +0000

Syntroleum has been around many years, yet not managed more than token profits. Many technology companies are more useful to society, than to their investors. Energy Conversion Devices is a prime example.

Bioefuels landscape is littered with wreckage of once-promising tech. Having seen more than one "investment" go under, I speak from experience. While the chance for reward is great, the risks can be greater.

As to Camelina, see for example: http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/203181.html

By: c b christian

c b christian — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:02:40 +0000

Biofuels are very interesting to me , have been involved with Miscanthus in UK and general usesage of wood ,dust ,chip,pellets and log.
Have some 40 years knowledge of dealing witht the agricultural market,farmers etc,etc.
If this Camelina will grow in temparate climates please give me the background to this proposal.

We can handle this in UK .
Sincerely. Clive Christian

By: Tom T.

Tom T. — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:55:02 +0000

This is great information, and its nice to see these experiments getting underway. No doubt this niche jet fuel is big business but still a minor percentage of the mass transportation fuels market. Even so, I wonder if the good Doctor could point us to articles that compare these alternative approaches using estimates in scalable units like boe, and the amounts of acreage, water. and energy required to make a barrel of this or that biofuel approach? I hope guys like Craig Ventner can make algae work, and that it can be responsibly produced, but I am otherwise skeptical when I haven't seen or heard the "economic impact comparison study" to defend all of these approaches. Does the weed's energy output benefit from: watering, special fertilizers, rich soil? If so how much cropland will go towards growing weeds? Corn based energy seemed like a good idea at the time, but obviously it is flawed. In considering the overall alternative energy markets, I'm sure a great deal of our taxpayer dollars will be squandered in benefiting those with political connections and for other reasons, but ultimately successful solutions need to be economically viable as well as enviornmentally sound when scaled. If this funding is run like most gov. programs, it will take 5-10 years to "realize" what works.

By: RJD

RJD — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:52:39 +0000

Ultimately algae will be grown in tanks right next to the refineries instead of using valuable crop land. Companies with advanced algae growing and processing technologies will be long term winners.

By: Roger Collins

Roger Collins — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:48:34 +0000

Have you heartd about plans in the middle east to refine used deep frying oil collected from restaurants? The diesel will be used to power construction vehicles.

By: Dr.G.G.Rajan

Dr.G.G.Rajan — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:42:31 +0000

It is likely that bio fuels may rule the energy industry, out of compulsion and emission considerations not too far away . Bio fuels may easily replace home energy market.The added advantage of bio fuels in domestic sector is lower Green House Gas emissions, lower cost and the value added bio mass which is an excellent natural manure for the crops. Similarly if synthetic fuels from organic matter and coal is developed, there may not be many takers for the crude oil. It is technology transition that may revolutionize the energy industry.

By: ken trzecki

ken trzecki — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:32:16 +0000

And you left off Syntroleum (SYNM) why?

By: Dan Attenberger

Dan Attenberger — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:03:46 +0000

Wish you would have included Rentech's web address in your company listing.

By: P Denaco

P Denaco — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:20:22 +0000

Good comments, and ahead of the learning curve, too! This has "gotta happen" not just for our economy but because the so-called "third world" is continually upping its demand for fuels notwithstanding the crunch this causes on the more developed nations/economies.