Polyfuel Share Discussion Threads

[leighbarton] 10/11/2006 13:23

Union - thanks for posting F&S article, v interesting reading. 2007 could well be the year for a number of these companies. Will be following PYF from now on and will look to invest when I have released equity from elsewhere.

Cheers

[habayyut] 09/11/2006 20:08

union

been looking at this, they do look good, may buy in sometime soon

[unionhall] 09/11/2006 20:06

Expect you are right Nashwan but if they could get one of the three majors who are already identified with PYF (or a new one) to give them an official "first commercial order" I think it would produce a healthy spike.

No doubt they are considering some such strategy as they will not want to forego such cheap finance. Whether they can manage it or not is the gamble....



(The CEO holds 200k warrants - a goodly impetus)

[nashwan123] 09/11/2006 19:20

Double edged sword are warrants. Nice if you can buy them at market discount but they can act as a break on the share price if too many in issue. I like PYF news but have seen these concepts with BPRG, NTX and even NSB who are making serious money. Lots of potential revenue but the share price fails to motor until licences signed with hard cash coming in. Good Luck folks.

[unionhall] 09/11/2006 18:04

Hab - yes, made some money on the warrants months ago. Hope to make some more before they run out at year-end.

[habayyut] 09/11/2006 17:20

Union

Seems you are in all the interesting picks.

I take it you hold these too.

I may take a holding soon, looks very interesting.

[blackbear] 09/11/2006 17:18

Obviously an overhang of stock in the market but dont want to give them away going buy the 2 big trades this morning......

[unionhall] 09/11/2006 17:16

OK - here's the rest...

Micro Fuel Cells Continue to Advance


Date Published: 9 Nov 2006




By Sara M. Bradford, Director Energy & Power Systems Group

The micro fuel cell (MFC) market has received a level of hype similar to that given to revolutionary or disruptive types of technology innovation in the past. This hype, however, is well warranted, considering that most people have become highly dependant on their handheld devices such as cell phones and laptop computers. In this hectic and chaotic world, consumers long for the day when they need not worry about their battery power running dangerously low, or being stuck in a situation with no means of recharging, except with traditional sources, or by having to carry bulky chargers and cords. An average business traveler consumer caries several adaptors to recharge his/her various electronic devices.

The hype in this arena is only expected to increase, as developers continue to vie for market share. As commercialization looms closer and closer, developers are becoming increasingly competitive, and new entrants are continually appearing on the marketplace radar. All major consumer electronic device manufacturers are either developing micro fuel cell technology, or are partnering with an organization that is developing the same. Many developers have working on technology under stealth mode, and have yet to enter the market.

Demand for More Power Capacity and Longer Runtimes

The rate of evolution in the device market is extremely quick, with new innovations in terms of functionality and internal operation being introduced every 6-12 months. Advanced color screens, wireless capabilities, GPS functions on laptops and cell phones, TV broadband functions on multiple handheld devices, and many other innovations are being seen in the market and are even becoming commonplace. These innovations add to the power-hungry status that handheld devices have embraced over the last 3-5 years, with no end in sight in terms of power demand. The battery power source has not experienced this quick evolution, and is therefore challenged to maintain a decent runtime for many devices. With each added convergence and capability, devices require more power output, and traditional batteries struggle to maintain acceptable runtimes.

Shorter runtimes and a heavy reliance on 'power cord' adapter chargers are becoming a way of life. However, this defeats the terms 'portability' and 'handheld', as more accessories and/or second battery packs need to be carried along with the device or multiple devices as some consumers transport.

Major requirements for the micro fuel cell technology include:

• Longer run time

• Recharge at higher rates

• Lightweight

• Ease of use

• Convenient to operate

• Quiet operation

• Flexible power source to operate multiple devices

Continued Performance Improvements Spur Growth

Fuel efficiency rates for micro fuel cells, specifically for direct methanol fuel cells, have continued to improve over the past few years. First-generation fuel cells only achieved less than 20 percent efficiency rates. This meant that only 20 percent of the energy present in the fuel could be converted to usable power. Efficiency rates for micro fuel cells being developed in 2006 are nearing 40 percent, or more. For reference, at 50 percent efficiency, 250 ml of methanol (about 8 fl oz) can deliver approximately 600 watt-hours of electricity. In terms of methanol-based micro fuel cells, power capacity can be increased by increasing the concentration of the methanol solution. Passive direct methanol fuel cells tend to suffer from methanol crossover, more so with higher concentrated methanol solutions. This causes lower power-generation efficiency. Companies such as PolyFuel, Inc. specialize in membranes specifically designed for DMFCs to minimize this methanol crossover, and ultimately to increase fuel cell efficiency rates.

As commercialization is expected to happen in the near future, micro fuel cell designs continue to evolve and become more efficient. Compared to the prototypes of just a year ago, today's fuel cells are on their way toward full power and maximum efficiency levels.

Competitive Structure

Companies ranging from small technology-development firms to large consumer electronics/battery manufacturers are looking to enter the micro fuel cell marketplace.

Tier 1 competitors consist of major multi-national conglomerates offering a range of products for several applications and in multiple geographic locations. These include companies such as Panasonic, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Sony Corporation, Motorola, NEC, Hitachi, Toshiba Corporation, Casio, and others.

Tier 2 competitors consist of small start-up developers dedicated to the development and commercialization of micro fuel cells for consumer portable devices. These include companies such as MTI MicroFuel Cells, Neah Power Systems, INI Power Systems, Akermin, Jadoo Power Systems, Voller Energy, SFC Smart Fuel Cell, Medis Technologies, Angstrom Power, Tekion, Aquafairy, and others.

[leighbarton] 09/11/2006 17:13

Union - I'd certainly be interested to see it

[unionhall] 09/11/2006 17:06

Research article on Micro fuel cell article from Frost & Sullivan today..


Quite long but interesting, will post it all if people wish....




Technologies

Contending designs include those utilizing:

• Direct methanol fuel cells

• Methanol reformat PEM fuel cells

• Hydrogen

• Other solutions including a sodium borohydride mix with other stabilizing and energy-containing additives

Conclusion

In today's portable consumer device market, conventional batteries such as lithium ion provide energy to power devices such as laptop computers, cellular phones, and portable DVD and game players. Typically, high-energy rechargeable batteries are expensive, heavy, and must be recharged often, particularly for high-drain devices. For example, lithium-ion batteries, one of the most powerful rechargeable batteries in the market at this time, may only provide three to four hours of active talk time (for a cellular phone) or operating time (for a portable DVD player).

Micro fuel cell technology has the potential to answer the consumer's demand for increased power. Much remains to be done despite the significant advancements being made in the development of DMFCs and other micro fuel cell designs. However, micro fuel cells for laptop computers and other handheld devices are experiencing strong consumer demand, a trend that is not seen in the automobile and stationary power plant space. Developers need to conduct continuous market and product evaluation to assess the opportunities and threats they face.

[jonwig] 09/11/2006 09:30

2Elk,

as I replied on the ITM thread, they are two different technologies.

ITM is developing PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cells, which require pure hydrogen as fuel.

PEM's membrane is being developed for DMFCs (direct methanol fuel cells). Because the fuel is 'contaminated' (ie. not pure hydrogen) it's reasonable to expect a somewhat lower power output.

In fact, of course, PYF are not fuel cell manufacturers - they develop the membrane technology which will (they hope) be utilised in the fuel cells of actual DMFC manufacturers.

[don muang] 09/11/2006 09:22

and EVERY compaany claims to be either 'a' or 'the' world leader in fuel cell technology.....
as i said yesterday ... do't take any RNS's at face value .....

[david77] 09/11/2006 09:13

Maybe for different target markets - PYF are aiming at very small power units for hand-held devices like mobile phones. Where is ITM's target market?

[2elk] 09/11/2006 08:57

Strange, the technical announcement claims 40% greater power thananyone else and also claims 200mW/cm2. I see that ITM Power claims 360mW/cm2. I am no scientist, am I missing something?? 2Elk

[don muang] 08/11/2006 17:08

I've lucky with PYF. Bought in last year with warrants and common stock. Then it went shooting up so sold out after it started declining from its peak. Bought back in common stock again when price was down again a few months ago. Wonder if any people still hold this that bought in around 100p - or did they actually use stop-loss princilpes. Good management with this company but I feel they can be a little oportunistic and ignore existing PI's if it suits their long term goals and keeps institutional investors on their side.

Last time it started shooting up not long after being tipped by Mail on Sunday. If it soon goes shooting up again due to Times tip then let's see if it becomes a falling star a second time round. Happy to hold and wait.

[leighbarton] 08/11/2006 15:59

Don Muang sound advice, one does need to look behind the announcements to find out when commercial product is likely to hit the streets. Still on the surface this company does seem to be more advanced than ITM in this regard which has seen a 60% rally in its share over recent weeks with little news to back it up.

[asparks] 08/11/2006 15:52

POLYFUEL IS "THE TIMES" "STOCK TO WATCH"
Business
PolyFuel;Smaller stock to watch;Briefing;Need to Know
8 November 2006
The Times
PolyFuel, the Californian fuel cell developer, rose 4p to 51 1/2p on stating that its 20-micron hydrocarbon membrane has set a new record for fuel cell performance, producing 40 per cent more power than any previously available membrane. That achievement was endorsed by Samsung, the South Korean consumer electronics group, which said that Polyfuel's membrane had outperformed all others in tests in terms of power and efficiency. PolyFuel last reported cash of $25.6 million.

[don muang] 08/11/2006 12:17

if you look back thru this thread then you'll find that previously after most positive RNS's from PYF then there were queries on this BB from people who had just discovered this stock and wanted to know how to buy it - as thier normal broker didn't deal in it. So over the past 16 months or so lots of people have managed to buy in by utilising alternative brokers such as CS r TDW.

It was also a new year tiip for 2006 in the Mail on Sunday at end of last year - so has had national press coverage. Perhaps what puts some prospective purchasers off is that any real revenue is still more than a year away. Also previously the management did the rounds, talked up the company, and some positive news issued. Up went the share price - and then out came an announcement that they wanted to raise funds via additional shares.

Although a holder of this, I haven't done any calculations recently about how long existing cash will last. Will it last until commercialization of the product?

Another thing that would lead me to be a little wary of glowing annuncements is the way they've been done in the past. Look at the announcement regarding a deal with JM - no financial deals included - but share price went up with announcement of deal with a major. Then few months later when next bi-annual financial announcement came out then it turned out that the deal had only involved a $100k.

This company has great potential - but any investors should have a look at the financials of the company.

[leighbarton] 08/11/2006 11:24

asparks - it certainly is holding me back. I would have bought in yesterday but now taking a bit more time to decide whether I can put up with the hassle of 2 accounts

[asparks] 08/11/2006 11:22

I'm surprised buying hasnt been greater after yesterdays news.
Do you think the fact that these are not on CREST limits the number of potential investors?
I had to open a separate account with a different broker to get hold of these, and many people probably dont want the hassle...?

[frontiercapital] 08/11/2006 09:15

From UK-Analyst.com: November 7th 2006

"Fuel cell membranes group PolyFuel said that it had developed a new, ultra-thin membrane capable of delivering nearly 1.4 times the power density of any fuel cell membrane currently available. The stock jumped 4p to 51.5p. It said that the new 20-micron hydrocarbon membrane, when used in direct methanol fuel cells, were being developed for micro power applications, such as notebook computers and cell phones, and produced an unprecedented 200 milliwatts of peak power per square centimeter ofmaterial at 70 degrees centigrade."

[asparks] 08/11/2006 08:51

nice start for the day. I havent found any press comment yet though

[frontiercapital] 08/11/2006 08:20

Any press/media for PYF this morning?

[asparks] 07/11/2006 16:33

100K T trade after the bell :-)
bodes well for the morning