CFU-ers hiHave a read of a post tonight by Brenden on MLX...

CFU-ers hi

Have a read of a post tonight by Brenden on MLX regards about 20 years of economic tin left in the world. A mob called Celltech are doing what seems to be described as a next generation of fuel cells but based on tin, appparently a commodity that won't be in great supply here on in.

Looking over CFU's 2008 annual report, the UK ceramic powder plant makes zirconia, which seems to be the current generation of solid oxide fuel cells.

Any folks here with more indepth knowledge of CFU got a take on this (the potential to be technologically leapt over)? The 2008 annual report cited 'industry first' electrical efficiency of 50%- so do you think the extent of CFU's competitive advantage is the electrical efficiency within their cells, or that it is remotely-installed (the distributed nature, the integration into one unit of electricity and heating), or both? Any thoughts about how sustainable this advantage may be?

I think I need to go do some more research on competitors. I dropped out of DYE for this reason, not anything they did wrong just I could see any edge they have now would not IMO be sustainable in the face of huge global competition.