Ethanol Woes Continue

Previous Photo:xeni, Creative Commons, Flickr It is apparent that fears of overcapacity in the ethanol sector are worsening, stalling the progress of major US ethanol players such as Aventine Renewable Energy (AVR), VeraSun (VSE), and US Bioenergy (USBE). An April 27 report issued by Lehman Brothers (LEH) indicated that supply could start to outstrip demand…

Hitting Drivers Where It Hertz

Ever wondered how you'd ever get around without a rental car on long road trips or when your vacation destination doesn't have a subway system?  More families and budget-conscious travelers may have to find out for themselves as Avis and Hertz continue to raise rental car prices that have already escalated almost 20% in the last two…

The Automotive Big Three: What Really Went Wrong?

It is no mystery that America’s Big 3 automakers are in critical condition right now, they have clearly entered uncharted waters. Foreign automakers, particularly from Japan, have weighed down on the Big 3’s former stronghold on the global auto industry and are now posing serious threats to become the new leaders. Since 2005, net losses…

Toyota: Paving the Way

With an ingenious development and launching of the hybrid vehicle at the turn of the century, Toyota Motor Corp (TM) has taken over Ford Motor Company (F) as the world's #2 automaker and has its sight set on unseating General Motors (GM) as the largest. And it's not a question of if, but when. Net…

No Kyoto, No Problem?

Heavily criticized for not supporting the Kyoto Protocol, the Bush Administration has cited that adopting mandatory measures to fight climate change interferes with the economic growth of this country. While there is virtually conclusive evidence stating that the economic cost of not fighting climate change greatly outweighs the cost of doing so, events have taken…

Efficiency is the Name of the Game

While we have noted that solar power can be harnessed in many different applications, on-site generation in both residential and commercial settings is the fastest growing segment of photovoltaics (PV) in the US. At least this is true in California, where the majority of the nation's solar generation is currently being installed. This is due…

Where Will the Sun Shine the Brightest?

While it may be quite unnerving to think that it has taken this long for us to harness the power of the Earth's most abundant resource, the sun, it may be somewhat gratifying to see how far the solar industry has come so fast.  Solar energy, also known as photovoltaics (or PV, for short) has become one of…

Ethanol: Down But Not Out (Part Two)

It is apparent that, when considering the growth in the ethanol industry as of late (there is currently twice as much manufacturing capacity under construction in the U.S. than is currently online), the industry could be heading for severe overcapacity.  So why do these refineries continue to get built at such a rampant pace with…

KKR, the Almighty Savior?

In a way, the same Wall Street leverage-buyout magnate that exceedingly overpaid for RJR Nabisco almost 20 years ago can be viewed as a savior with its even larger takeover bid for TXU Corporation  (NYSE: TXU).  Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) has teamed up with another private equity firm, Texas Pacific Group, to be…