Ballard Power -world leader zero-emission PEM fuel cells Message Board

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Ballard Power -world leader zero-emission PEM fuel cells

BLDP 2.625

-2.8%

3:59 PM EST

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next

To: Elwood who wrote (989)	10/8/1997 3:30:00 PM
From: Maxwell	of 5827

Elwood: I still can't find your Misc Tech category, subject Global Warming thread. Please point it to me how to get there. Thanks for showing me this thread. I've been interested in this subject for a long time but yet know a company that works on it. Here is my thought on BLDPF. 1) First you talked about Global Warming. Global warming is due to the effect that we are producing more CO2 than the trees and plants can consume. Thus the biosphere is disrupted and the sheath of CO2 is building up which trap the heat below the atmosphere. CO2 excess is largely due to the by product of combustion. In the fuel cell, methanol is converted to hydrogen and CO2. Thus CO2 is still produced. The only difference is the amount. The fuel cell probably emits less CO2 than the octane combustion just because the efficiency of the fuel cell is better than the combustion engine. Thus for the same amount of horsepower desired by the driver the fuel cell will produce less CO2 which in essence reduces the effect of global warming. 2) I like this technology alot and wishes it would replaced all the combustion engines but there will be alot of struggles along the way. The reasons are as followed: a) This fuel cell may not be as cost effective as the combustion. It will be more expensive to incorporate this system into conventional cars. Thus people may not want to pay the price unless federal regulations forbid people to buy combustion cars. b) Fuel cell cars will be used mainly in normal daily driving. High performance car will remain combustion. There is no way fuel cell car can outperform combustion cars in term of horsepower. c) Oil industry will fight this project furiously. Don't underestimate their influences. d) No infrastructure for fuel cell car. Every gas station would have to have a pump to serve methanol. It would take a while. e) Reliability of the system is yet to be tested. 3) What about the stock price? Well the company is yet to make any money. Last year they losed $.94 and this year they espected to loose $1.04. The stock has doubled in 10 months due to increased exposure and hype. Investors will get wearied as the company continues to post loss. There is no timeframe in the horizon when the company will be profitable and there is no guaranteed that this technology will be the standard. You are buying "blue sky" here. Had you bought it last year at $10 it would have been a spectacular speculative investment. Now it is $47 and is very expensive. In my opinion, this technology will be AT BEST be a niche technology where it would be incorporated in city buses and cars for the people who are classified as "Save the Earth". And that would be at least another 5 years away. I can guarantee you that companies such as WSTL/Amati who make ADSL and Rambus who makes high speed memory will make money before BLDPF. Good luck on your investment and becareful when the analysts are out of favor with BLDPF. Maxwell PS. By the way, you may wonder about all this partnership with Toyota, Mercedes, etc. and whether this is a good sign with great future for BLDPF. The answer is no. Those companies just cover their butts. They want to cover all their basis so that no competitors would flank them with an popular and innovative product.

Report TOU Violation

Share This Post

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next