Solar Headwinds, Part I: How Solar PV Is Like Ethanol

 

tom konrad Tom Konrad (AltEnergyStocks) submits: In May 2007, I published a competitive analysis of the corn Ethanol industry based on Michael Porter's classic Five Competitive Forces model. At the time, Ethanol stocks were flying high, but my conclusion was that "the prospective ethanol investor should be very careful about investing in corn ethanol producers at random." If anything, I understated the case.Ethanol Stocks This chart shows three ethanol stocks that have survived since 2007. As survivors, they are among the best performers in the industry; several others have declared bankruptcy.Complete Story »

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  • Tom Konrad (AltEnergyStocks) submits: In the first part of this series, I showed how a competitive analysis of the

  • Greentech Media submits: By Joshua KaganCorn is dead. Long live corn? The last few years have been brutal for corn ethanol producers, largely because of high corn prices and lower gasoline prices. In 2008-2009, at least twelve major ethanol companies filed for bankruptcy, including the second largest producer, VeraSun (VSUNQ.PK).

  • If ever there were an industry in need of a general, it's the ethanol industry. Already under siege from food companies blaming biofuels for rising grocery prices, ethanol companies are now seeing their profit margins crushed by falling prices for their product. Compounding the problem, many environmentalists -- who five minutes ago seemed to be in ethanol's corner -- have turned against the corn-based fuel.

  • Biofuels submits:The ethanol market this week will focus on:- The corn market ahead of Monday’s weekly Crop Progress report - Gasoline prices, which continue to follow stocks and rallied fairly sharply last week, and - Ethanol demand, which is strong at present due to the summer driving season and the fact that ethanol is still 92.5 cents per gallon cheaper than gasoline including the 45-cent blenders tax credit.

  • Debra Fiakas, CFA submits: The Department of Energy has the solution for the nation’s corn-ethanol hangover and it is not the “hair off the dogs back.” In December 2009, the DOE awarded $25.0 million to ICM, Inc.

  • Biofuels submits:The ethanol market this week will focus on:- the corn market ahead of Monday’s weekly Crop Progress report, - gasoline prices, which rallied last week in sympathy with the stock market, and - the ethanol demand and inventory situation as reflected in Thursday’s monthly EIA ethanol report for May.CARD study paints much less dire situation if Congress does not extend ethanol tax credits

  • Biofuels submits:The ethanol market this week will focus on:

  • The EPA determines that corn ethanol--long ridiculed as a vote-getting farmer subsidy program that d

  • AP - The once-popular ethanol industry is scrambling to hold onto billions of dollars in government subsidies, fighting an increasing public skepticism of the corn-based fuel and wariness from lawmakers who may divert the money to other priorities.

  • EPA mandate for more corn ethanol puts brighter sheen on the biofuel.

 
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