Better BTU Update: Small Signs from Big Companies

You don’t have to wait for the big headlines for clues on what’s happening with companies on your watch list. Below we list small news items we’ve come across and what they could mean for big companies.

Rentech:

What’s Happening: The developer of technologies that enable the production of certified synthetic fuels and renewable power has announced that its third quarter conference call will take place on Nov. 8, 2012 at 11:00 PST. Rentech’s senior management will review the company’s financial results for the period and prove and update on corporate developments.

Why We Care:  Rentech is one of the few publicly owned companies in the biomass industry and is funded largely through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rentech Nitrogen Partners. The company announced it was abandoning a number of projects as a result of cost-cutting measures during its 2011 fourth-quarter conference call.

Rentech has the patents to two different gasifiers as well as the iron-based catalyst that it mixes with liquid wax in a slurry bubble column reactor. Yet, neither SilvaGas nor the ClearFuels gasifiers turned out to be ready for commercial installation and the company was forced to take a step back and regroup.

Better BTU Take: We loved the company’s initiative but felt like Rentech was trying to go in too many places at once. Hopefully the company has had a chance to take a step back, refocus its plan and is ready to proceed. It will be interesting to see if Rentech returns to its previous projects or starts new ones.

 Plasco:

What’s Happening: We’ve noticed a host of advertisements for positions at Plasco Energy Group popping up across job search boards and on the company’s own website.

Why We Care: We haven’t heard anything about the proposed deal between the city of Ottawa and the local waste-to-energy company since The Ottawa Sun reported that the two sides were “very close” to a deal on Sept. 14. CFRA 580 News Talk Radio reported the deal would be inked before year’s end. Advertisements for positions including ‘Instrumentation and Control Technician’ and ‘Inventory Clerk’ at the Plasco Trail Road site go a long way in confirming these reports.

Better BTU Take: Companies aren’t going to begin hiring employees for site-specific positions until they are 99% sure the project will cross the finish line. We suppose we’ve become skeptics after hearing about so many projects that were close but fell apart at the 11^th hour and we’ve been anxious to see if this one could make it. Seeing these advertisements is a great sign and we wish Plasco well!

Read our other blog posts on these companies:
Plasco Prepares to Cross the Finish Line in Contract Negotiations with Ottawa - Sept. 20, 2012 (Projects Blog)

Rentech in Reverse - April 24, 2012 (Technology Blog)

Finding Funding: Plasco's Biggest Supporter - Dec. 21, 2011 (Technology Blog)