Most tech investors are already familiar with the “story” of graphene.

It was first “isolated” (created) in 2004, earning its inventors the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics. The amazing properties of graphene illustrate why its invention was deemed worthy of this award.
 

•          200 times as strong as steel
•          10X more conductive and 1,000X the current capacity of copper
•          Ultra-light weight: a single-layer sheet of graphene large enough to cover a football field would weigh less than a gram

Truly a revolutionary material to power the 21st century global economy. So, why haven’t we already seen graphene-based applications transforming the economy?

Several reasons.
 

1. Introducing a new material into any production process requires re-engineering that process to incorporate new production parameters. As both an extremely complex and hi-tech material, this graphene engineering takes time.
2. Producing graphene at commercial scale and at competitive pricing. Solving the production challenges of producing high-quality graphene at commercial scale has proven to be perhaps more difficult than originally anticipated.
3. Adoption of new technology. There is always a lag in time between the creation and adoption of any new technology. The more revolutionary the technology, generally the longer the lag-time – as potential end-users first learn about this new technology.

Graphene is still so new that even estimates of the size of the “graphene market” are all over the place. Mordor Intelligence estimates the graphene market at USD$791.66 million for 2023, rising to USD$4.84 billion by 2028.

Investors can find market reports that offer both larger and smaller estimates of the graphene market.

Why the discrepancies? Simply defining “graphene” is not as clear-cut as it is with (for example) some homogenous commodity. The quality of graphene varies dramatically between different production processes. Industry insiders have observed that much of what is called (and sold as) “graphene” is little more than just glorified graphite.

For end-users, commercialization of graphene has been delayed by their own learning curve and the challenges of re-engineering.

For graphene producers, commercialization has been delayed in terms of finding optimal processes for producing graphene – that are both cost-effective and commercially scalable.

One newcomer to the graphene industry that is confident in its ability to deliver graphene solutions is Blue Water Petroleum Corp. (OTC:BWPC).

Blue Water is a diversified technology company that frames itself as “protecting the planet with our sustainable and innovative environmental technology solutions”. Its shareholders have supported the company’s efforts in the marketplace and Blue Water’s market cap has steadily increased over the years to more than USD$500 million.

Recently, the Company made a major pivot into graphene production and commercialization. This began with Blue Water’s acquisition of Swiss-based Attimar SA, a private company. The company has provided this introduction in a prior news release:
 

Put more simply, Attimar’s graphene can be integrated into a significant number of commercialization opportunities with strategic sectors and partners.

The Seed Investor recently had the opportunity to connect with the President of Blue Water Petroleum, Vladimir Ivanov. Estonian by birth, Ivanov holds both a Masters degree in engineering as well as a Masters degree in finance management and business administration.

Our first question to the President of Blue Water Petroleum was simple. How does the Company’s subsidiary, Attimar SA produce its graphene at a commercial scale?

Due to trade secrets the process of production is confidential and many details on this patented graphene production process are proprietary. However, he did reveal that Attimar uses “ultrasound resonance” in order to transform graphite into graphene.

Ivanov told The Seed Investor that Attimar’s unique graphene production process offered several competitive advantages including: commercially scalable, energy efficiency, and an ability to produce varying categories of graphene depending on the application and customers’ needs.

As previously noted, this is not a theoretical model for graphene production. Attimar is already producing and marketing its graphene for various commercial applications, as indicated by two recent news releases from Blue Water.

On March 5, 2023; Blue Water announced the launch of its “Thermo Varnish” product. The Thermo Varnish coating “is applied as a thin layer of paint with nanomaterials such as graphene” that adds both thermal and electric conduction properties to the coated surface.

Even more recently, on June 6, 2023 a Company release reported on the commencement of graphene pellet sales. These graphene pellets are used to produce new polymer blends that “exhibit exceptional characteristics in terms of strength, durability, and thermal and electrical conductivity.”

Graphene is a game-changer in the electronics and semiconductor sectors. Both of these will grow exponentially over the next decade.

Along with the production facility in Italy, the key to the Attimar acquisition for Blue Water was that company’s IP: 10 graphene-based patents that are central to Attimar’s unique graphene production process. Ivanov also indicated that a significant number of additional patents pending are currently in the pipeline.

Blue Water is forecasting much bigger developments on the horizon. The Company is already planning to add a second production facility in Germany. And Blue Water sees significant additional graphene-based opportunities in (a) automotive tire recycling, and (b) concrete additives.

Both of these are huge markets, where any significant degree of penetration could quickly mushroom into significant revenue streams.

Graphene commercialization is here. But this is going to be a multi-decade Revolution not some overnight success story. The complexities of graphene simply don’t allow for quick/easy solutions.

Yet the payday for this Revolution more than justifies the investment of time, effort and capital. Adding science-fiction like properties to a wide variety of consumer end products as well as intermediate inputs for industry.

Blue Water is preparing itself for the long term. The Company plans on growing with the needs of the market, and it is applying its business growth strategies to not just the present demands but anticipated future demands.

For investors, looking to capitalize on this opportunity, Blue Water Petroleum Corp. may be the right vehicle for you.

Bluewaterpet.com

DISCLOSURE: Blue Water Petroleum Corp is a paid client of The Seed Investor.
 

Working together to address common challenges, and building economic bridges, will be crucial to improve lives.

Kristalina Georgieva
July 13, 2023

When the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet in Gandhinagar next week, the world will be looking for joint action to address rising economic fragmentation, slowing growth, and high inflation. Agile multilateral support is vital to tackle common challenges posed by debt vulnerabilities, climate change, and limited concessional financing—especially for countries hit by shocks not of their making.

Outlook: resilience amid challenges

In April, the IMF projected global growth at 2.8 percent in 2023, down from 3.4 percent in 2022. The bulk of it–over 70 percent–is expected to come from the Asia-Pacific region.

Yet, recent high frequency indicators paint a mixed picture: weakness in manufacturing contrasts with resilience in services across the G20 countries and strong labor markets in advanced economies. At the same time, financial fragilities uncovered by tight monetary policy require careful management—particularly as restoring price stability remains a priority…
 
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Stan Choe, The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are slipping Thursday following a mixed set of profit reports, forcing a cooldown for Wall Street’s torrid rally.

The S&P 500 was 0.3% lower in morning trading, coming off its highest close since early April 2022 and its seventh gain in the last eight days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 261 points, or 0.7%, at 35,322, as of 11 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was 1.3% lower and on track for its worst drop in six weeks.

Two of the most popular stocks, Netflix and Tesla, helped weigh on the market after the companies reported how much profit they earned during the spring…
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Amazon wants customers to leave their wallets and phones at home.

By Matthew Humphries

Amazon is set to roll out palm payments at every Whole Foods Market store in the US by the end of this year.

Today, Amazon confirmed(Opens in a new window) that all 500+ Whole Foods stores will be fitted with the Amazon One palm payment terminals this year, allowing shoppers to leave wallets and phones in their pockets (or at home) when paying.

Currently, over 200 Whole Foods stores offer palm payments, which means Amazon has quite the task on its hands to get the technology installed at another 300+ stores within the next four months…

 
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Story by Megan Lebowitz and Caroline Kenny and Peter Alexander

President Joe Biden is set to tout his administration’s efforts to boost clean energy manufacturing and create union jobs in a speech on Thursday during his visit to Philadelphia.

Earlier Thursday, the White House announced the first-ever offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, which it says will have enough clean energy potential to power nearly 1.3 million homes.

The power generators will bring about an estimated $125 million in economic activity every year, and 1,000 workers across nine unions have been employed to build them using steel plates made by the United Steelworkers in Indiana, it added.

The president’s focus on unions comes as the potential for additional strikes loom amid his 2024 re-election campaign…
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Stavros Georgiadis, CFA

Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras (NYSE:PBR), also known as simply Petrobas, is an integrated energy company controlled by the Brazilian government.

The Rio de Janeiro-based company focuses on the exploration and production of oil and gas in Brazilian offshore fields. However, it explores and sells oil and gas not only In Brazil, but also internationally. The business segments include Exploration and Production, Refining, Transportation and Marketing and Gas and Power.

PBR 15-Year Financial Data

The intrinsic value of PBR

Peter Lynch Chart of PBR

The energy company was founded in 1953 and now, after 70 years of business, its shares are very interesting to watch for two main reasons: a very high dividend yield and a very attractive valuation…
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TOM MURPHY

The fallout from a Pfizer factory being damaged by a tornado could put even more pressure on already-strained drug supplies at U.S. hospitals, experts say.

Wednesday’s tornado touched down near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and ripped up the roof of a Pfizer factory that makes nearly 25% of all sterile injectable medicines used in U.S. hospitals, according to the drugmaker.

Pfizer said all employees were safely evacuated and accounted for, and that it is still assessing damage.

Here’s a closer look at the possible effects…
 
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Ben Stern

Across the United States, coal-fired power plants are shutting down for good. In the last twenty years, over 600 have been retired. But just because these plants aren’t burning coal doesn’t mean they aren’t still being used. A trend is now emerging in a number of states to repurpose the plants to create new jobs and supply clean, renewable energy.

So, why would a solar farm, for example, want to be placed at the site of a non-operational coal plant?

It turns out that because these plants are already wired to the power grid — meaning that they’re already connected to the network of substations, transformers, wires, sensors, and poles that carry electricity from power plants to be distributed to our homes — installing new power plants at the site of old ones saves energy companies a lot of money and time.

Additionally, many oppose installing new power lines because they can spoil a nice backyard view, or even reduce your property’s value…
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Story by Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

Topline

Tesla stock slid Thursday after the electric vehicle company delivered an earnings report which largely exceeded headline expectations, as pessimistic warnings grow louder about whether the company’s recent 150% stock surge was warranted.

Key Facts

Tesla’s $24.9 billion in sales and $0.91 earnings per share for the second quarter beat consensus forecasts, but its Wednesday afternoon report demonstrated why its stock is “egregiously overvalued” at its $273 ticker, Roth analyst Craig Irwin told Yahoo Finance, sharing his $85 price target for the company.

Shares of Tesla slipped more than 6% in early Thursday trading, set for its worst day in three months.
Tesla reported its lowest operating income since 2021 as vehicle profit margins slumped to a multiyear low of 18.1%, amplifying concerns about its ability to continue on its path of astronomical financial growth…
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Story by Karen Friar

Stocks were mixed to open Thursday’s session as the Nasdaq fell after Tesla (TSLA) and Netflix (NFLX) updates took the shine off the earnings season and a fresh batch of results started to roll in.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) was down around 0.4% at the open, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) was roughly flat. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) was up 0.4%.

After-hours earnings Wednesday from Netflix and Tesla — the first to report among the tech giants that have driven a recent stock rally — failed to excite investors. Shares of Netflix dropped after its revenue missed, while CEO Elon Musk’s hint that Tesla plans more price cuts helped drive its stock lower…
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