Today in Biofuels Opinion: “Production of energy via photosynthesis — relying on plants to make it for us, is remarkably inefficient … we’re taking [the oil created by] 300 million years of photosynthesis and using it up in something like a century.”

Dr. Robert Allen of Arkansas Tech: “Production of energy via photosynthesis — relying on plants to make it for us, is remarkably inefficient…we’re taking [the oil created by] 300 million years of photosynthesis and using it up in something like a century. You can get 300 times as much energy per acre per year by mounting photovoltaic panels than you can with growing soybeans for biodiesel.”

Pavel Molchanov, energy analyst for Raymond James: “While the majority of our alternative energy universe continues to trade well above book value…this weakness in the market over the past month has taken its toll on the space. Given the squeezed industry margins over the past year, the market is implying that existing ethanol production capacity could be bought below replacement cost. Given the rapid evolution of balance sheets in the sector (including capital raises), calculating a precise book value, on a fully diluted basis, is not always easy. For ethanol producers, mark-to-market changes in hedging portfolios can be volatile.”

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