The Bloom Is Off (NPK-Produced) Algae Biofuel Development [View article]
Fuel from algae basically can't work. It's not just NPK (good point) but the energy input is almost always going to be more than what you get out of it. In petroleum oil, nature has concentrated these oils for us to remove, refine and use. Making oils from scratch cannot compete. Also, production rate is a big problem. Even if the economics were OK, the production rate would be miniscule.
The only hope these companies have are specialty markets, where bio-based materials are in big demand and buyers are ready, willing to pay a little more for bio-based products. SZYM, AMRS and the others know this and are aiming for those markets. Even so, the risks are very, very high, so be careful, this is a VERY speculative area. SZYM has good potential but if it turns out they can't make "tailored oils", then bye-bye. Partnerships with big companies can be created, and they can be terminated. Word to the wise.
A European Bank Set For A Strong Rebound: Bank Of Ireland [View article]
It is an interesting stock. I was in it a few months back and did well with it, but then got concerned and cashed out. I'm looking to get back in, I think it's a long-term winner.
Coming To Terms With Solazyme's Delayed Dilution [View article]
"whatever oil they want" is undoubtedly a big stretch, don't assume too much. What may be possible in theory is often very difficult to achieve in practice. SZYM has a lot of potential, I believe, but you must understand that it is a developing company and technology and must be considered speculative. I'm a chemist and microbiologist involved with product development.
Very good article. I sometimes criticize articles where the author clearly has insufficient background or specialized knowledge; in this case, it is clear that the author not only has the background knowledge but also has produced a detailed and insightful article of value to investors.
The biofuel angle on most of this stuff, other than conventional biodiesel, is mainly bunk. Most of it will prove to be impossible to get anywhere near the economics of petroleum. The opportunity here is in specialty products, where AMRS and SZYM are in best position, IF they can develop and perform what they say. Be very cautious about what appears to be positive news and also forward-looking statements. This is very speculative, don't invest more than you are willing to lose.
Enterprise Products Partners: Strong Business Model With Sustainable Distributions [View article]
I own some EPD and have owned CLMT and NRGY in the past. I wouldn't see the latter two as competitors of EPD at all, except as other MLPs for investors to consider. EPD is mainly pipelines, CLMT is a refiner and NRGY is mostly propane. EPD has of competitors but these aren't them. Poor article in my opinion.
Agree with most of what Azblackbird said. What SZYM and AMRS are doing has almost no chance to be competitive in the fuels market. The potential is in specialty products, not fuel. The costs will be too high to be competitive in the fuels market even if the technology is successful.
Solazyme: The Making Of A Specialty Oil Giant [View article]
Very speculative. Technology not proven and won't be until production volumes actually develop. Any thoughts for biofuel are totally ridiculous, don't even consider this. Main potential is for specialty oils and related derivatives. There are thousands of patents that are worthless, so patents don't mean much until they can prove that they can make what they say they can. Statements like "Bunge will be x tons" are currently meaningless, they are projections and may or may not happen. Don't invest anything you can't lose.
Solazyme: Expensive Fuel Is Not A Problem For A Profitable Future [View article]
Dude, Obama doesn't have anything to do with this. There are tons of people trying to get oil from algae, this is just the best funded one, that's all. However, I agree with you and think that they are very, very likely to fail. Fuels are NOT in their future. Specialty oils or surfactants might be, but that remains to be seen. There is no way that oil from algae will ever approach the scale or cost level needed to compete in the fuels market. I have some very good reasons for saying that.
Solazyme: Expensive Fuel Is Not A Problem For A Profitable Future [View article]
@ Invandertag and User 16235: SZYM might be a scam, but at very least it is a high-risk new technology development company. Products and profits may never come to pass. Anyone "investing" needs to realize that this is gambling, even more so that the normal market. I see no evidence so far that they've really produced much of anything, and the "tailoring" of oils, in my opinion, is mainly rhetoric. I might be wrong, but as I've told Kevin in the past, I think the real winner in this space may be AMRS. Look, it's up over 6% today and SZYM is down 2%. What does that tell you? There are good reasons why AMRS is more likely to succeed, although it is also very speculative; there is no way I can explain in this comment. I am a chemical professional with microbiology training. To User 16235, SZYM "alluded" they have achieved "metrics", that, if extrapolated, would mean 3.44/gal in a full-scale plant... this is ludicrous. They will never achieve this in a plant, and may never have a successful plant. They probably achieved whatever "metric" one time in a little flask in the lab... it doesn't mean anything, so if you don't understand this stuff, stay away unless you are a gambler, because that's what you're doing.
Is It Time To Take Profits From The Summer Rally In Fertilizer Stocks? [View article]
I'm active professionally in the fertilizer industry. Urea does not evaporate in storage. What you heard about is the loss of nitrogen from urea when it is applied, not when it is in storage. Urea can be broken down to ammonia by the enzyme Urease that is present in the soil (via bacteria), so when urea is in contact with soil and moisture, ammonia is lost to evaporation. There are products that are used to prevent or minimize this, but standard urea doesn't have them.
Trash-To-Sugars Could Be Valuable For Waste Management [View article]
buy lots. maybe it will go up. actually it will go up and down, whether or not it is successful, so you might be a winner. But always keep in mind that you're gambling. by the way, I do invest in AMRS long at times. It is a gamble, but entertaining. SZYM is interesting but in my opinion, much less likely to be successful as compared to AMRS. I am trained as a microbiologist and am a practicing chemist.
The Bloom Is Off (NPK-Produced) Algae Biofuel Development [View article]
The only hope these companies have are specialty markets, where bio-based materials are in big demand and buyers are ready, willing to pay a little more for bio-based products. SZYM, AMRS and the others know this and are aiming for those markets. Even so, the risks are very, very high, so be careful, this is a VERY speculative area. SZYM has good potential but if it turns out they can't make "tailored oils", then bye-bye. Partnerships with big companies can be created, and they can be terminated. Word to the wise.
A European Bank Set For A Strong Rebound: Bank Of Ireland [View article]
Coming To Terms With Solazyme's Delayed Dilution [View article]
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Enterprise Products Partners: Strong Business Model With Sustainable Distributions [View article]
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Solazyme: The Making Of A Specialty Oil Giant [View article]
Solazyme: The Making Of A Specialty Oil Giant [View article]
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Solazyme: Expensive Fuel Is Not A Problem For A Profitable Future [View article]
Solazyme: Expensive Fuel Is Not A Problem For A Profitable Future [View article]
Is It Time To Take Profits From The Summer Rally In Fertilizer Stocks? [View article]
Trash-To-Sugars Could Be Valuable For Waste Management [View article]