William Taylor

Berkshire + Burlington = Hypocrisy, Expediency and Full Dose of Ego?

Just a few short months ago Buffet was all doom and gloom saying our economy was in financial chaos and we were on the road to ruin.

He seems to have changed his stripes rather quickly.

Will Solar Crash the Smart Grid?

Batteries are miniature chemical factories with a high carbon footprint, limited life and maintenance requirements.

Extremely low carbon footprint, virtually maintenance free and long life flywheel systems like those now being produced by Beacon Power Corp. (BCON) work flawlessly and are the most efficient and "green" solution to the problem. I have seen the system work and it can't be beat. Test installations are up and running and feeding power to the grid.
Conservative, archaic power companies should change their ways and embrace this new technology. It is the best answer.

Finding Small Smart Grid Plays

Thought BCON, Beacon Power, might be one of your picks. Any opinion? I have seen their flywheels work and the concept and execution is excellent. If that can be translated into orders then their business model will be very profitable.

On EESAT and Energy Storage Opportunities on the Smart Grid

As you know, John, I am a fan of BCON but I am getting a bit hesitant as I don't see much progress. I am wondering if they have a chance in this game based on their low carbon footprint and the fact that they seeming require virtually no maintenance as opposed to battery systems which degrade, need replacement and maintenance.

I think that grid operators are conservative buyers, particularly of any new technology like flywheels, and that the path to acceptance will be difficult for BCON but I am hoping that the fact that they are probably the "greenest" technology will overrule cost difficulties.
As you sure that, factoring in maintenance and replacement costs for batteries, that flywheels are not in the financial ballpark? Thanks for your work, it helps push away some of the fog of uncertainly for many of us.

Cramer's Stop Trading! Meredith Whitney's Big Splash (10/13/09)

as far as I am concerned Whitney is just another analyst who is full of baloney.

Portfolio Update: Still Trimming ETF/CEF Holdings

Thanks for your interesting articles. Yesterday on Seeking Alpha there was an article about XOM by Michael Fitzsimmons critical of XOM and it's small dividend relative to others in its group. I have held XON for over two decades and now realize that a bigger dividend, (how about a doubled one), would suit me just fine and that I should bail out of the giant and put my money to better use. We are not talking peanuts here! My biggest holding BAC, which used to give me well over $ 10,000 a year in dividends is now on my "stinkers" list and as I am retired I could use the income I have lost from BAC,( I will hold it for another three years and see what happens before I decide to keep or sell it), but I believe XOM can well afford to reward shareholders.

Aluminum May Outperform Copper

Electric automobiles and wind turbines both use a lot of copper and both are in multi year booms never mind the wiring of the emerging market world. I am betting on copper and have held PCU for years and plan to own it until I die!

Smart-Grid Technology Is an Investment Worthy of Stimulus Funding

Ravi, do you have any opinion about BCON? I have seen it's flywheel system in operation and it is very impressive. This does not, however, mean it will be successful!

Battery Investing for Beginners, Part 4

John, do you have any comment on this article about IBM and lithium-air-oxygen batteries? They seem like a real game changer!


www.mobilemag.com/2009.../

EnerNOC, Comverge May Be Today's Best Alternative Energy Pure Plays

And I am curious of your opinion of BCON Beacon Power as a pure play low carbon power demand response provider.

Toyota Tests and Rejects Lithium-Ion Batteries for the Prius

Batteries of all types are little, high carbon footprint, chemical factories. We can build cars with internal combustion engines that can get three times current mileage standards. Little cars with little engines traveling at 45 to 50 mph is a good answer as is natural gas powered cars. The problem is that big business with vested interests and high paid lobbyists have moved the government to invest billions in battery tech. We need nothing short of a miracle in chemistry to make batteries the option of choice.

If only EESTOR were not such a pipe dream we might have an answer. Perhaps the government should step up to the plate and start funding super capacitor research. We need a government that leads and is not at the beck and call of vested interests.

Time to Forget About Zenn Motor

As a skeptic it is hard to forget when the stock price keeps going up.

Debunking PHEV Mythology

And those expensive batteries will be punished by the necessity of heating cars in the winter.
Anyway, what kind of solution is it to subsidize batteries??
A subsidy is just shifting costs elsewhere. We still have to pay!
Common sense say build a little car that gets 70 MPG or better and chug along at 45MPH.
It is my belief that all cars should be the same exterior size and shape year after year so that you could replace a bumper or engine or parts cheaply as they would be standardized year after year, (no complicated wasted inventory of thousands of parts). The cars would all be the same small size and the spirit of competition would mean fancier and safer interiors. Since all cars would be small, road traffic and parking would be easier.

Why I'm Long Uranium and Nuclear / Power Engineering

UNOFF, Unor corporation. That is all I have to say.

Dan Rastler - We Need Cheap Energy Storage

And, what about (BCON)'s flywheel storage? It is up and running, has virtually no carbon footprint, (unlike dirty miniature short life chemical reactors we call batteries), a long lifespan, and can be buried underground virtually anywhere (unlike capture and other systems like hydro which are very site specific and will function quietly and reliably for decades.

And how is it that you do not know this Eric???

I have seen Beacon Power's flywheels up and running and it is very impressive. Very! I would certainly list them as one of the strongest contenders if not the strongest.