cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

[cngacrossusa]

Hey all, let's push for Clean Cities to just buy the company!! Fuelmaker is TOO IMPORTANT to let fail. The cng movement absolutely needs FM.

Piddly $17M is peanuts for the TAARP fund that is pouring money all across the USA for much less worthy causes (hello UT governor, can you call Obama??). . . . . or

if each of the 4,000 CNGChat members put in $4,250 . . . . we would collectively own our very own Fuelmaker company!! Now that would put ownership in the hands of informed decision makers!!

[cnguser]

Re: FuelMaker bankruptcy

As cngacrossusa suggested:

"if each of the 4,000 CNGChat members put in $4,250 . . . . we would collectively own our very own Fuelmaker company!! Now that would put ownership in the hands of informed decision makers"!!

OK...you've got my $4,250 (USA) vote - where shall I send the check?
And when is the first new stock holders meeting?

[CNGLO]

Re: FuelMaker bankruptcy

Hey all, let's push for Clean Cities to just buy the company!! Fuelmaker is TOO IMPORTANT to let fail. The cng movement absolutely needs FM.

Piddly $17M is peanuts for the TAARP fund that is pouring money all across the USA for much less worthy causes (hello UT governor, call you call Obama??). . . . . or if each of the 4,000 CNGChat members put in $4,250 . . . . we would collectively own our very own Fuelmaker company!! Now that would put ownership in the hands of informed decision makers!!

Hmmm . . . Isn't Fuelmaker a Canadian company? Now you want to use your U.S. tax dollars to bail out a Canadian company? While I think it is sad for us to see Fuelmaker in bankruptcy, I don't think the U.S. powers that be will be convinced to put out money to save a company north of the border.

I don't think Clean Cities can buy it either. Clean Cities Coalition is a designation by the federal government for a local group that works to advance the use of alternative fuels and to achieve cleaner air through the use of cleaner fuels and vehicles.

There are a bunch of securities laws that need to be taken into consideration before anyone starts a collection to buy Fuelmaker, but I guess it is always good to dream.

John--Do you know if the bankruptcy filing was for a reorganization to protect it from its creditors or if it was for a total liquidation and winding up of the enterprise?

[cngacrossusa]

Re: FuelMaker bankruptcy

Yep CNGGlow, our old friend Fuelmaker is Canadian company, but when USA can just waste money giving bonuses to AIG, BAC, CitiGroup, Fannie Mae, Sallie Mae, Freddie Mac, etc. and other greed diggers that have put USA/World on tetering of worst global depression ever, surely a few loose coins in the pocket of USA can jump start the green movement in the USA. US would appoint a "CNG Czarr" (likely from UT) and move/expand manufacturing to Utah as well . . . now that's what I call job creation!! Of the over 8 million ngv's across the world, USA has paltry 145,000 per www.iangv.org and not much concrete government direction to promote cng . . . . clearly by any measure, the immediate fuel of choice for USA transportation should be cng!! Further, within regular "USA budget" just passed, there were "earmarks" that easily could have been trimmed to spend meager $17M for Fuelmaker. Whatever happens, I ABSOLUTELY do NOT want Clean Energy to scoop up Fuelmaker for pennies on the dollar and further their monopoly position. If govmt owned FM, could eliminate middle men in any credits that are given for cng equipment (ie hassle with tax returns and AMT limits, state tax credits, price gouging for installation of FM's, etc) and FM's could become ubiquitous products all across USA as common as natural gas dryers or hot water tanks (albeit FM's would be installed to code outside garages or inside for Phill's).

Recent radio talk show said stimulus spending amounts to over $80,000 for EVERY 3-member household in the USA . . . . as for me, I'd rather US Govmt spend $17M on Fuelmaker, AND other cng activities, and help ourself for a change.

Finally, as for Clean Cities having some "specific directive" for green energy solutions, much money is wasted as well for bio-fuels/ethanol that have plenty of ag money already subsidizing them, and grants to companies like Clean Energy for fleet vehicles that should be paid by the companies themselves as cng pays for itself with fuel cost/maintenance savings when compared to diesel. If (and that is huge IF) Clean Cities is effective (which I say it IS NOT), then how can there be absolutely NO PUBLIC cng pumps in entire state of Arkansas, Tennessee, Iowa, etc. etc etc . . . or only one public pump in St Louis, MO (city of over 1 million) . . . . explain? Believe it or not, there are Clean Cities personnel in Florida, but public cng pumps in FL are non-existent!! Instead websites related to FL efforts of Clean Cities talk about more bio-fuels . . . . do they have a brain or not??%%&&##@@!!!

[jblue]

Re: FuelMaker bankruptcy

Now you want to use your U.S. tax dollars to bail out a Canadian company?

This hypothetical proposal would be using private money. Might want to reread the OP. And since you are a tad late to the bailout party all you really need to know that if Fed money goes to AIG, AIG turns around and ships it overseas. Less the bonuses, of course.



You can read more about it here:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20039.html

I have 5g's to prop up a company, only if they give me a unit to "beta" test ...

[cngacrossusa]

Re: cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

Yep JBlue, the more you learn about govmt waste, the more your blood boils!! Moderators call my comments "rants" but America (and even Canada) are letting the golden goose (ie cng) pass us by. Instead we tolerate unregulated greed at "too big to fail" firms whose only mission appears to make their top execs more and more money. Instead, we should invest in ourselves and use that money to build out public cng infrastructure and subsidize cng vehicles/home VRA's.

I would be at front of line to "Beta" the newest home VRA that Fuelmaker, or replacement company, comes out with. Further, if affordable, I'd install home VRA's at multiple family members' homes across the midwest for my own mini-network of refueling sites due to non-existent public cng pumps . . . or exhorbinant high price like Kansas City, KS (ie Overland Park at KS Gas Service) has at $1.89 per gge . . . . at same time that Oklahoma Natural Gas/ONEOK is only $1.03 but both KGS and ONG are owned by ONEOK . . . . Arrrgghhh!!

As Dave Clement (AZ Fuelmaker rep) commented, hopefully time will reveal better future for Fuelmaker after this fiasco cloud of dust settles.

[CH-4]

Re: cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

After trying to be green for over 30 years I've finally come to the conclusion that the world isn't ready to take the next step, especially in the U.S and Canada. I've had my Phill since 2005 and have 4 vehicles, one of them a 2009 Honda GX and feel that Honda owes everyone, at least, an apology for this outrage. Perhaps a class action lawsuit would be preferable to them. Even as I write this, Honda is guilty of false advertising and the GX is still offered with the promise of "home" fueling with a Phill. http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-gx/ and http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-gx-fleet/
If we do nothing about this NOW, those like Mr. Pickens will get their way; control over where and when and how we'll get our fuel. Large CNG suppliers want to see every vehicle converted to CNG, but don't want us plebes access to low cost fuel. CNG is low cost at our homes because home fuel prices are regulated and they can't do anything about it. Example: here in LA when gasoline prices were near $4.50 per gallon, Mr. Pickens' Clean Energy sites were over $3.00 per GGE. My home GGE rate was still $0.71 (I run my Phill from solar power). This is because CNG vehicle fuel prices are unregulated and they can charge us anything they want. When I pressed Mr. Pickens on this topic, he refused to answer so there's no way he's actually going to buy it to save us. he probably got word that Honda was going to file bankruptsy and backed down. If he does buys FuelMaker, he'll shut it down as quick as a hungry Texas rattler.
Perhaps we should get together and form a co-op and buy FuelMaker, with the funds from a class action lawsuit against Honda.
Those interested can email me.

[younkin]

Re: cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

I know of 2 different companies who are testing home fill units right now, someone will fill the gap, don't worry, Jim

[CH-4]

Re: cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

It's true there are a number of companies who are in the process or have built VRAs, Sanyo being one, however none of them have been able to get the UL or CSA ratings required to be a home appliance. I'm totally on board with the EPA rules, which actually allow conversions as long as they're not done in the backyard. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of "approved" refitters out there and most of them come and go as fast as a coyote chasing a cat. There would be no need for conversions if manufacturers would step back and to the plate and build more CNG vehicles. Its not rocket science, they did it before.

[younkin]

Re: cngacrossusa's rant re: Fuelmaker bankruptcy

One of the units is getting their UL listing now. Around here there are many Certified Installers, it is just really slow. As much as I don't like the gasoline prices going up that will cause more people to look into conversions, Jim