RE: cpst turbines
I appreciate your analysis of these turbines. I have a question about their patentability, including the "air" bearings. A company called Ormat produced what seems to me to be a nearly identical vertical turbine in the 70's-80's. They were an Israli co. The turbines were less output, heavier, more expensive, etc, and were used only for off- grid highly reliable power, including gate valves on the Alaska pipeline, satellite systems in Antartica, etc. I sold these systems myself, then working for a company now called Northern Power systems.
So if this technology is so "ancient", how can CPST be so well protected that a GE or GM couldn't begin producing a competing product? I appreciate how first to market can be valuable, but there seems to be few barriers to entry, and little development cost?
I'm not a CPST short, just a trader, usually long, so not trying to crap on this nice story. Thanks in advance. |
