After a little more due diligence on UltraCell...which is owned by Bren-Tonics, of Commack, NY (20 minutes from my office and the largest supplier of Lithium Batteries to the Military..here is the spoop on the tecnology:
They do not manufacture the complete fuel cell. The reason? Ultracell is really only one part of a much more complicated and cumbersome system then the simple Mobion Fuel Cell.
The "UltraCell" uses Methanol as its "fuel" but must convert it to Hydrogen. It takes the Methanol Converter in the "system" takes 20 minutes to heat up to 300 degrees (do I hear HEAT as in OVERHEATING?), before it can convert the Methanol to HYDORGEN....it then feeds the Hydrogen to a "third party" fuel cell, which then converts the hydrogen into electricity.
Among the issues for commercialization beyond New Zealand? 1. High Heat it requires (not an issue with Mobion) 2. It requires "heating up" for 20 minutes before the process begins (Mobion instantaneous chemical/electric reaction) and 3. Two step process not direct conversion of Methonal to energy (Mobion is a direct conversion process..per patents)
Finally...while it was a "Joint" U.S. and New Zealand mission the Ulracel was tested on ...it was the New Zealand Military which endorsed it...the smallest Western Military in the world, and not the U.S. Military...it was not a vicarious endorsement by U.S. Military.
ps. Would Boeing want anything on their Dreamliner what required 300 degrees to operate? What if it overheated beyond 300 degrees?...IMHO the FAA would take a very long time to look at it.
Yes. My ignorance is why they suspended operations in 2011.
The investment world if full of companies with directors who get paid good money for their reputations even when they aren't really making good decisions.
I do not know enough about Dr. Robb to say anything definitely. I personally do not see a future BIG stock with methanol fuels. Their may be enough opportunity here to see some gains on this stock, but I am not investing in methanol solutions.
Today's news reports that two different fuel distribution plants had explosions that seriously crippled their operations. One plant was a propane plant in Florida, one is a corn oil (maybe ethanol) plant in Kansas. Both cases are tragic. I am glad that neither plant is a methanol plant.
Dr. Robb has been a buyer this year, it's not a lot but I don't think they would be buying any shares unless something was cooking, jmo! Also, new CEO buying!
Mar 28, 2013 ROBB WALTER L Director 34,000 Direct Purchase at $0.35 per share.
Mar 25, 2013 LYNCH KEVIN G Officer 33,794 Direct Purchase at $0.29 per share
May 28, 2013 LYNCH KEVIN G Officer 35,400 Direct Purchase at $0.40 per share.
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