Investing in Li Batteries

GCinDC said:
anything exciting happening in lithium (or other EV tech) investing these days?
I would say not so much excitement for investors short-term. Just `cause I'm reading reports of so many companies adding productive capacity hoping for market share but near-term overcapacity will drive prices down more and so smaller ROIs for a while... Sounds like good news for consumers though.
Then of course too the stories about China selling land to high tech industries at one-third market price plus offering them very low loan rates etc. Gotta be making things tough for any non-China based manufacturers...

OTOH with the recent China restrictions for rare earth exports, exploration elsewhere for RE is taking off:
http://rareearthinvestingnews.com/1615/china-export-cuts-good-for-rare-earth-juniors/
LocK
 
good time to buy? gonna continue up?
Valence Technology Inc (NASDAQ:VLNC) is one of the percentage gainer and surged up 8.66% to $1.38. So far this year, the stock is up over 52%. The 52-week range for the stock is $0.64 and $1.55.
 
GCinDC said:
good time to buy? gonna continue up?
Valence Technology Inc

Valence has been blessed...
20110518_electrictruck_obama_54.jpg

:wink:
Lock
 
Interesting ya should bring this up today as thestreet just published today some thoughts on a look ahead:
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10942720/1/lithium-battery-stocks-who-will-rally-in-2011.html

GM, GE, HEV, AONE, ABAT... but no mention of VLNC. The way AONE has tanked in the last year, I'm thinkin' they have way more upside potential now than Valence... just gotta get that one nice GM (or?) contract signed... ABAT buying into the China EV biz looks bad while BYD is walking away...

I still believe the real money to be made would be in the secondary suppliers... Thems that're selling mfg equipment and materials to the makers... but I haven't been following this.
Lock
 
Wow! I guess folks are reacting to their December 30 8-k:
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On December 30, 2010, Valence Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an Amendment No. 2 to At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Amendment”) with Wm Smith & Co., as sales agent (the “Sales Agent”), which Amendment amended the terms of that certain At Market Issuance Sales Agreement dated February 22, 2008 (the “Sales Agreement”) between the Company and the Sales Agent, the form of which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under a report on Form 8-K dated February 22, 2008, as previously amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto dated July 2, 2009, the form of which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under a report on Form 8-K dated July 6, 2009.

The Amendment provides, among other things, that the number of shares of the Company’s common stock which may be issued and sold in a series of transactions over time as the Company may direct through the Sales Agent is increased from 10,000,000 shares to 20,000,000 shares. To date, the Company has sold 10,000,000 shares of its common stock under the Sales Agreement and 10,000,000 shares remain available for issuance and sale under the Sales Agreement, as modified by the Amendment.

Folks like SeekingAlpha helping things along:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/243...e-technology-huge-upside-reward?source=nasdaq

Dunno how high they will go but can't imagine much of a downside for Valence w/their ties to the Smith order book.
LocK
 
Lock from May 2010 said:
Thought it might be fun to see how Polypore is doing since this forecast from September 2009:
Lock said:
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock News/2394197/
"Jun 27, 2009 (SmarTrend(R) Spotlight via COMTEX) -- SmarTrend's proprietary algorithms detected bullish price action on shares of Polypore International (NYSE:pPO) which generated an Uptrend alert on April 02, 2009 at $5.26. Since the alert, PPO has trended 104.9% higher as of today's recent price of $10.78."
(Today at $12.44)
LOcK

...so today:
http://pr.tradingmarkets.com/search/PPO/#url=/chart/PPO

"Last Trade $21.25"

Not too shabby 8)

...`Course, I'm also seeing folks buying Gio 500 scooter-style ebikes online for $265 + shipping then flipping them for $600-$800 via Craigs List and Kijiji in 48hrs... :roll:
Lock

Holy crapola... Polypore now at $41.60
http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:PPO
 
From this recent thread:
http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?t=67051

I thought these comments interesting:
I have been traveling to Suzhou, a city of about 6 million in China for about 12 years now. This city is filled with electric bikes and scooters. When I said something about how impressed I was with them as a clean, quiet and convenient way to get around the response I got from my hosts was surprising. While they all have and use these bikes they are far from happy with them.

The batteries on the bikes and scooters will give about a 40km range when new but after a year this can be as low as 5km. They are now facing some serious environmental issues figuring out how to recycle and disposition the batteries.

The batteries are heavy and expensive which leads the manufacturers to make them as small as possible which forces them to charge and discharge to near the full capacity of the batteries. This is what leads to the short life. On a car such as the Prius the weight and bulk are less of a problem so Toyota can limit charging to 75% of capacity and the car can go to a gasoline only mode if the battery falls to 25% of capacity. This is how they get good battery life in the hybrid.

Suzhou used to be filled with countless small motorcycles but these were outlawed in the city to combat a serious air pollution problem. The e-bikes certainly make it a nicer place to visit and they have several attractive features for this pancake flat city with moderate weather but the problems that they introduce are starting to become significant.

Point being, that while ebike sales are a huge success story, and secondary suppliers eg battery manufacturers and their suppliers are benefiting from the increased sales of new ebikes these folks (batt mfgrs & their suppliers) are about to see a secondary wave of growth as ebike owners that bought lead packs 1-2-3 years ago are more likely to be upgrading (finally) to Li chemistries with their next replacement packs.

Sorta like encountering a storm surge on top of a spring tide...

LocK
 
I've been reading through the webpages of all the domestic lithium battery makers; ener1, a123, valence, etc.

One thing seems to cross my mind when I see no spec sheets and no available product: the pages are made solely for those who have made "ener1" auto complete in google as "ener1 stock"

Which makes sense when you consider that they are blowing through millions of dollars. I don't understand that business model: disregard an albeit small, yet present market in the rapidly growing ev community, and focus on what? Spending hundred of millions in government grants and investors money trying to secure some big automakers contract?

Shit, with the money they're spending, anyone of them could be pumping out cheap lithium cells that satisfy the American ebike market.

Hundreds of factories in China are doing this.

I'm beginning to lose faith in capitalism.
 
Reality check / See battery news items : General Motors . Argonne National Laboratory . LG Chem Michigan Inc. Johnson Controls .
 
Good news:
UPDATE: U.S. Administration Outlines Rebates For Electric Cars
6:18p ET February 8, 2011 (Dow Jones)
UPDATE: U.S. Administration Outlines Rebates For Electric Cars

By Ryan Tracy
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The Obama administration outlined a rebate Tuesday that would be available to buyers of electric cars at the point of sale, reducing the sticker price by up to $7,500.
The U.S. Department of Energy said the proposal involves turning an existing tax credit for electric vehicles into a rebate that would be available to buyers immediately rather than making the discount available only after filing a tax return.
Shares of Tesla Motors, Inc. (TSLA), the electric car maker backed by Toyota Motor Corp. (TM, 7203.TO) jumped more than 6% Tuesday, to $24.49. Battery maker A123 Systems, Inc. (AONE) also saw shares jump more than 6%, to $9.92.
Some details of the proposal, including when rebates would be available and whether the rebates would be capped, remained unclear. David Sandalow, DOE's assistant secretary for policy and international affairs, said details would have to be worked out in Congress.
Companies like General Motors Inc. (GM) and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (NSANY, 7201.TO) that already have electric cars on the market are in good position to take advantage of the government incentive, particularly if Congress places a cap on the rebates, said Jesse Torpak, an auto analyst for TrueCar.com.
Torpak said the point-of-sale benefit made the cars more attractive for lease as well as purchase by lowering monthly payments.
"That's the kind of math you need to bring electric vehicles to the masses," Torpak said.
In a little more than two years, Tesla Motors has sold about 1,600 cars worldwide.
In the U.S., the Nissan Leaf and GM's Chevrolet Volt, which just went on sale in December, are only beginning to trickle into the market. GM has sold 647 Volts over the past two months in the U.S. Nissan has delivered 97 Leafs over that period.
Sandalow said the administration's proposal was part of a strategy to support electric vehicle manufacturing. In a statement, he said more electric vehicles on the road "represents a key component of our strategy to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and ensure that the U.S. leads the world in the growing electric vehicle manufacturing industry."
The administration announced the rebate initiative last month.
President Barack Obama has set a goal of putting one million electrical vehicles on the road by 2015. A DOE report released Tuesday said that goal is ambitious, but achievable.
DOE also said the administration will propose giving grants to 30 communities to invest in infrastructure for electrical vehicles. In addition, the agency said the president's upcoming budget proposal will include further investments in research and development for electric vehicle components, including batteries.
-By Ryan Tracy, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9245; ryan.tracy@dowjones.com

Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/nae/al?rnd=4Z6aNAis%2B5jBjf70lcg9Gw%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.
 
Lock said:
BTW, recent news reports say the smart money isn't in batteries but instead in the companies that make chargers esp. EV charging stations.
any companies in particular?

PPO continues to sky... at 66 now... :shock:
Polypore International Inc. said Wednesday that its profit climbed 47 percent in the first quarter
 
Altair Nanotechnologies just published their Q1 2011 Financial Results:
http://www.sys-con.com/node/1820392

Prices really tanked in 2008 as with a lot of companies...
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/dynamic_charting.aspx?selected=ALTI&symbol=ALTI

Still losing $$$ but look at those revenues jump year over year plus their comment
Customer caused delays in first quarter shipments of lithium titanate to Zhuhai YinTong Energy (YTE) and of battery modules to Proterra, our largest customer in the transportation market, negatively impacted revenues. Without these delays first quarter results would have been considerably higher.

Dunno watts up with YinTong but with Canon overseeing I expect them to straighten out their act. Hopefully they aren't selling to YinTong at less than cost for much longer!

Go Lithium-titanate Go!

tks
Lock
 
http://globalxfunds.com/LIT
The Global X Lithium ETF seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Global Lithium Index

From October 31, 2010 Annual Report:
http://globalxfunds.com/investor_file/AnnualReport/Global X 2010 Annual Report.pdf
Global X Lithium ETF (ticker: LIT)
The Global X Lithium ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Global Lithium Index (the “Index”). The Fund generally seeks to replicate the Index but may at times invest in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index and as a result may or may not hold all the securities that are included in the Index.

The Index is designed to reflect the performance of the largest and most liquid listed companies that are active in the exploration and/or mining of Lithium or the production of Lithium batteries. The Fund is the first ETF globally focused exclusively on the lithium sector.
For the period from the Fund’s commencement date on July 22, 2010 through October 31, 2010 (the “reporting period”), the Fund increased 27.85%, while the Index increased 27.99%. The Fund commenced operations with a net asset value of $15.51 per share on July 22, 2010 and ended the period with a net asset value of $19.83 on October 31, 2010.
Nineteen of the Fund’s twenty holdings as of October 31, 2010 increased in value for the reporting period, led by Avalon Rare Metals and Valance Technology, which returned 80.07% and 67.53% respectively. Only one holding as of October 31, 2010 lost value during the reporting period, Coslight Technology International Group, which returned -16.14%.

Significant holdings at October 31, 2010 included Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile ADR, FMC and Rockwood Holdings... and a bunch of the battery companies. A123, Valence, Sanyo and Saft, etc...

tks
lock
 
AONE finally heading up? Roller coast week so far...

from http://www.cnanalyst.com/2011/06/top-10-fastest-growing-small-cap-stocks-mmyt-dang-aone-noah-rloc-ctct-csod-kog-scor-tleo-jun-29-2011.html
A123 Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:AONE) is the 3rd fastest-growing stock in this segment of the market. Its long-term annual EPS growth is expected to be 65.0%. This number is based on the average estimate of 3 brokerage analysts.
 
http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...ocId=CNG.d86ceec20706af0a574a3d87e2ba3a1c.ec1
Argentina considers OPEC-like deal for lithium
By Liliana Samuel (AFP) – 3 days ago

BUENOS AIRES — Argentina is promoting the idea of an OPEC-like cartel for itself, Bolivia and Chile, which together control 85 percent of the world's reserves of lithium, a key component in electric car batteries.

"In the near future and with our production at such a high level, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile will control the lithium market," said Rodolfo Tecchi, the director of the technology and science promotion division of the Argentine Ministry of Science and Technology.

"They could do it with a sort of OPEC-like arrangement," he added.

The three countries, which Forbes magazine calls the "Saudi Arabia of lithium," would establish "control mechanisms for the sale of lithium carbonate, avoiding the lower prices that come with overproduction," he added, an idea at the heart of OPEC's operations.

Not everyone in the industry agrees, including the head of the Argentina chamber of mining industries in the province of Salta, Facundo Huidobro.

"The idea is a bit premature," said Huidobro. "We have to make sure that investments have been made."

Salta, along with the northern provinces of Jujuy and Catamarca, contain Argentina's largest lithium deposits.

Argentina has about 10 percent of the world's reserves, after Chile, with 25 percent in Atacama, in the north of the country, and Bolivia, which holds about half the world's supply in Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat.

Sales of lithium by Chile, on the other hand, represent 44 percent of worldwide revenue, followed by Australia, with 25 percent, China with 13 percent and Argentina with 11 percent.

A ton of lithium, worth $2,500 in 2004, now sells for around $6,000.

While lithium is also used for cellphone and computer batteries, experts expect its greatest use will be in electric cars.

Last year Bolivia announced a $900 million (628 million euro) investment for lithium in three phases: production of lithium carbonate, then metallic lithium and finally, after 2014, lithium batteries.

In Argentina, Sales Jujuy, which belongs to the Australian company Orocobre and is associated with automaker Toyota, just received the go-ahead to mine lithium and potassium.

Several other companies are exploring Argentina's lithium-mining areas, including the Canadian Lithium Americas, the Australian Ady Resources and the French company Bollore et Eramet.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
 
Posted: July 1, 2011
Patent analysis and product survey on use of nanomaterials in lithium-ion batteries
(Nanowerk Spotlight) The efforts undertaken in developing renewable energy sources to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels include major research and investment in advanced electricity storage technologies. Among the various existing technologies, lithium (Li) batteries are considered as the most competitive power source because of their high energy density, superior power capability, design flexibility and longer lifespan.
Use of lithium in batteries was first reported by A. V. Fraioly et al.1) in 1968, and the first rechargeable Li battery was proposed by M.S Whittingham2-3). Further, the concept of secondary Li battery was first demonstrated by D.W Murphy et al. 4) in 1978. Ground-breaking cathode materials (lithium cobalt oxide) research was carried out by a team led by John B. Goodenough5-6) following which Sony brought out the first commercial lithium ion battery in 1991. The first use of any nanomaterial was reported by Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. wherein they have used carbon fibril as anode material of lithium battery7.
Li-ion batteries have become the dominant power source for portable electronic devices – like cell phones, laptops, digital cameras etc. – due to their superior energy density and high cell voltage. They are also the technology of choice for the large emerging markets of hybrid, plug- in hybrid and electric vehicles and aerospace applications.
To meet the future challenges of energy storage, a new generation of Li-ion batteries with excellent performance, long cycle life, safety and reliability are needed not only for applications in consumer electronics, but especially for clean energy storage and use in all electric vehicles and for aerospace applications.
An emerging understanding of nanoscience and the developments in the field of nanotechnology have offered solutions to energy storage applications. Advances in electrochemistry, surface science, and materials science have stimulated the use of nanomaterials in more efficient energy storage and battery systems. Nanomaterials have the potential to significantly enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries. The prominent impact in terms of high power is envisaged due to their reduced dimensions that enable to achieve far higher surface/interface Li storage and intercalation/deintercalation rates.
The present study has been conducted to get an overview of the current patent landscape of rechargeable Li-ion battery, with a focus on the recent developments on nanomaterials and nanotechnologies used for anode, cathode, and electrolyte materials, and the impact of nanomaterials on the performance of rechargeable lithium batteries. Effort has also been taken to identify key players, emerging trends and applications in this area.

Full article here:
http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=21950.php

Lotta interesting stuff, like:
Zhong Qiang Power-Tech Co, Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (ABAT), a Chinese company has been manufacturing Polymer-Lithium-Ion (PLI) battery by using lithium titanate spinel nanomaterials provided by Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. The PLI batteries are being used in cell phones, notebook computers, electric vehicles, mine-use lamps, and other personal electronic devices. The Company's proprietary technology has been developed at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and has received a Chinese patent (CN patent no.10087299) as well as US patent (no. 6994737).

Lock
 
I see Altair Nano jumped from $0.86 to $1.20 this week...
http://www.google.ca/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:ALTI

Seeking Alpha reported July 4:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/277800-energy-storage-a-turbulent-q2-foretells-major-changes
Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI) was having problems closing a strategic investment from Hong Kong;

And the ALTI press release from June 21:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/al...ment-holdings-2011-06-21?reflink=MW_news_stmp
press release
June 21, 2011, 7:30 a.m. EDT

Altair Nanotechnologies Announces Additional Extension of Share Subscription Agreement With Canon Investment Holdings

RENO, NV, Jun 21, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. /quotes/zigman/1371897/quotes/nls/alti ALTI +5.17% today announced it has agreed to a fourth amendment to the Share Subscription Agreement (the "SSA") initially entered into with Canon Investment Holdings Limited ("Canon") on September 20, 2010 and subsequently amended on February 16, May 17 and June 3, 2011. This Fourth Amendment to the SSA extends the End Date to, and sets the Closing Date as, July 8, 2011 but keeps in place the ability of Altairnano to pursue other alternatives and to terminate the SSA at any time with no penalty. The SSA calls for Canon to acquire newly issued shares of the Company's common stock valued at $57.6 million resulting in a 51% ownership on a fully diluted basis immediately upon closing.

So it'll be fun to see whether Canon buys in or not...

Lock
 
man, AONE is tanking... and it's been in the toilet for a while..
FNN online said:
A123 Systems (NASDAQ:AONE) is one of today's worst performing low-priced stocks, down 2.6% to $3.35 on 0.3x average daily volume.Thus far today, A123 Systems has traded 587,000 shares, vs. average volume of 1.7 million shares per day. The company traded 2.7 million shares yesterday.

Edit: I guess the CEO dumping 11,000 shares each month doesn't help!
 
Back
Top