Alternative Energy Solutions

We are dependent on foreign oil imports. Some analysts predict that spikes in oil prices, due to international events, will result in a cost of $70, $80, even $100 per barrel of oil in the near future. Remember when buying a tank of gas was only about $20? Those days are over!

We have no effective price control with foreign oil cartels such as OPEC and we are subject to oil shocks at any time.

Part of the solution will be the development of alternative energy sources. Over time, a growing percentage of our total oil needs will be satisfied by these alternative energy technologies.

These are just some of the companies we are tracking in the Alternative Energy sector: Active Power (ACPW) AES (AES) Beacon Power (BCON) Ballard Power (BLDP) Capstone Turbine (CPST) Distributed Energy (DESC) Energy Conversion (ENER) Environmental Power (EPG) Evergreen Solar (ESLR) Fuelcell Energy (FCEL) Hydrogenics (HYGS) IdaCorp (IDA) Fuel Systems (FSYS); KFX (KFX) Medis Technologies (MDTL) Methanex (MEOH) Maxwell Technologies (MXWL) Plug Power (PLUG)Quantum Fuel (QTWW) Valence Technology (VLNC).

Active Power (www.activepower.com), designs, manufactures and markets battery-free power quality products that provide the consistent, reliable electric power required by today's digital economy. An ISO 9001-registered company, Active Power is the first to commercialize a flywheel energy storage system, CleanSource® that provides a highly reliable, low-cost and non-toxic replacement for lead- acid batteries used in conventional power quality installations. Active Power has also recently developed a new battery-free extended runtime product line (CoolAir(TM)) based on its proprietary thermal and compressed air storage technology.

AES (www.aes.com), is one of the world's largest global power companies, with 2005 revenues of $11 billion. With operations in 26 countries on five continents, AES's generation and distribution facilities have the capacity to serve 100 million people worldwide. Our 14 regulated utilities amassed 2005 annual sales of over 82,000 GWh and our 121 generation facilities have the capacity to generate approximately 44,000 megawatts. Our global workforce of 30,000 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world's growing power needs. To learn more about AES, please visit www.aes.com or contact AES media relations at media@aes.com.

Beacon Power (www.beaconpower.com), designs and develops advanced products and services to support stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid operation. The Company's primary business strategy is to commercialize its patented flywheel energy storage technology to perform frequency regulation services on the grid. Beacon's Smart Energy Matrix, now being demonstrated on a scale-power level in two states, is a prototype for a non-polluting, megawatt-level, utility-grade flywheel-based solution that would provide sustainable frequency regulation services. Beacon is a publicly traded company with its research, development and manufacturing facility in the U.S.

Ballard Power Systems (www.ballard.com), (NASDAQ:BLDP - News) is recognized as a world leader in the development, manufacture and sale of zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Ballard's mission is to make fuel cells a commercial reality. To learn more about what Ballard is doing with Power to Change the World®, visit www.ballard.com.

Capstone Turbine (www.microturbine.com), (Nasdaq:CPST - News) is the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems, and was the first to market commercially viable microturbine energy products. Capstone Turbine has shipped more than 3,500 Capstone MicroTurbine systems to customers worldwide. These award-winning systems have logged more than 12 million documented runtime operating hours. Capstone Turbine is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Combined Heat and Power Partnership, which is committed to improving the efficiency of the nation's energy infrastructure and reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2000 certified company, Capstone Turbine is headquartered in the Los Angeles area with sales and/or service centers in New York, Mexico City, Milan, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Distributed Energy (www.distributed-energy.com), creates and delivers products and solutions to the emerging decentralized energy marketplace, giving users greater control over their energy cost, quality, and reliability. As the parent company of Proton Energy Systems, Inc. (www.protonenergy.com) and Northern Power, Distributed Energy Systems delivers a combination of practical, ready-today energy solutions and the solid business platforms for capitalizing on the changing energy landscape.

ECD Ovonics (www.ovonic.com) is the leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of advanced production technology and innovative products. It has invented, pioneered and developed its proprietary, enabling technologies in the fields of energy and information leading to new products and production processes based on amorphous, disordered and related materials. The Company's portfolio of alternative energy solutions includes Ovonic thin-film amorphous solar cells, modules, panels and systems for generating solar electric power; Ovonic NiMH batteries; Ovonic hydride storage materials capable of storing hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feedstock for fuel cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel; and Ovonic fuel cell technology. ECD Ovonics' proprietary advanced information technologies include Ovonic phase-change electrical memory, Ovonic phase-change optical memory and the Ovonic Threshold Switch. ECD Ovonics designs and builds manufacturing machinery that incorporates its proprietary production processes, maintains ongoing research and development programs to continually improve its products and develops new applications for its technologies. ECD Ovonics holds the basic patents in its fields.

Environmental Power (www.environmentalpower.com), is a developer, owner and operator of renewable energy production facilities. Its principal operating subsidiary, Microgy, Inc., holds an exclusive license in North America for the development and deployment of a proprietary anaerobic digestion technology for the extraction of methane gas from animal wastes for its use to generate energy. The company's renewable natural gas facilities can also generate significant quantities of marketable greenhouse gas credits.

Evergreen Solar (www.evergreensolar.com) develops, manufactures and markets solar power products using proprietary, low-cost manufacturing technologies. The Company's patented crystalline silicon technology, known as String Ribbon, uses significantly less silicon than conventional approaches. Evergreen's products provide reliable and environmentally clean electric power for residential and commercial applications globally.

FuelCell Energy (www.fuelcellenergy.com), develops and markets ultra-clean power plants that generate electricity with higher efficiency than distributed generation plants of similar size and with virtually no air pollution. Fuel cells produce base load electricity giving commercial and industrial customers greater control over their power generation economics, reliability and emissions. Emerging state, federal and international regulations to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions consider fuel cell power plants in the same environmentally friendly category as wind and solar energy sources -- with the added advantages of running 24 hours a day and the capacity to be installed where wind turbines or solar panels often cannot. Headquartered in Danbury, Conn., FuelCell Energy services over 50 power plant sites around the globe that have generated more than 124 million kilowatt hours, and conducts R&D on next-generation fuel cell technologies to meet the world's ever-increasing demand for ultra-clean distributed energy. For more information on the company, its products and its worldwide commercial distribution alliances, please see www.fuelcellenergy.com.

Hydrogenics (www.hydrogenics.com) is a leading global developer of clean energy solutions, advancing the Hydrogen Economy by commercializing hydrogen and fuel cell products. The company has a portfolio of products and capabilities serving the hydrogen and energy markets of today and tomorrow. Hydrogenics, based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, has operations in North America, Europe and Asia.

Boise, Idaho-based IDACORP (www.idacorpinc.com), formed in 1998, is the holding company comprised of Idaho Power Co., a regulated electric utility; IDACORP Financial, a holder of affordable housing projects and other real estate investments; IDACOMM, a provider of telecommunication services and commercial Internet services; and Ida-West Energy, an operator of small hydroelectric generation projects that satisfy the requirements of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.

Fuel Systems Solutions is a holding company currently comprised of two operating subsidiaries, IMPCO Technologies and BRC Gas Equipment. Additional information is available at www.fuelsystemssolutions.com. IMPCO designs, manufactures, markets and supplies advanced products and systems to enable internal combustion engines to run on clean burning gaseous fuels such as natural gas, propane and biogas. IMPCO is a leader in the heavy duty, industrial, power generation and stationary engines sectors. Headquartered in Santa Ana, California, IMPCO has offices throughout Asia, Europe, Australia and North America. Additional information is available at www.impcotechnologies.com. BRC produces a complete range of systems for converting vehicles to gaseous fuel to meet market requirements. BRC is a leader in the light duty and automobile alternative fuel sectors and has established alliances with several major automobile manufacturers for OEM projects. Headquartered in Cherasco, Italy, BRC has offices throughout Asia, Europe and South America. Additional information is available at BRC's web site, www.brc.it.

KFx (www.kfx.com) offers combined energy, environmental and economic solutions to coal-fired power generating facilities and industrial coal users in the United States and internationally. Our proprietary K-Fuel(TM) process uses heat and pressure to physically and chemically transform high moisture, low-Btu coals, such as subbituminous coal and lignite, into a more energy efficient, lower-emission fuel. A co-benefit of the K-Fuel(TM) process is the removal of significant amounts of impurities, including mercury, and the reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Medis Technologies' (www.medistechnologies.com) primary focus is on direct liquid fuel cell technology. Its business strategy is to sell its products to end users through retail outlets, service providers and to the military and other markets. Medis has also developed the CellScan with many potential applications relating to disease diagnostics and chemo sensitivity. Additionally, Medis' product pipeline includes other technologies in varying stages of development.

Methanex (www.methanex.com) is a Vancouver based, publicly-traded company engaged in the worldwide production and marketing of methanol. Methanex shares are listed for trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada under the trading symbol "MX" and on the NASDAQ Global Market in the United States under the trading symbol "MEOH".

Maxwell (www.maxwell.com) is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery solutions. Our BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor cells and multi-cell modules provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in consumer and industrial electronics, transportation and telecommunications. Our CONDIS® high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications.

Plug Power (www.plugpower.com) is an established leader in the deployment of clean, reliable, on-site energy products. More than 650 Plug Power fuel cell systems have been delivered to customers worldwide in commercial, public sector, telecommunications, utility and uninterruptible power supply markets. For more information about how to join Plug Power's energy revolution as an investor, customer, supplier or strategic partner, please visit www.plugpower.com.

Quantum (www.qtww.com) and its subsidiary, Tecstar Automotive Group, are leaders in powertrain engineering, system integration, and manufacturing of packaged fuel systems and accessories for specialty vehicles and applications including fuel cells, hybrids, alternative fuels, hydrogen refueling, new body styles, mid-cycle vehicle product enhancements and high performance engines and drive trains for OEMs and consumers of aftermarket parts and accessories. Quantum also designs and manufactures hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

Quantum has product commercialization alliances with General Motors, AM General, and Sumitomo. Quantum's customer base includes General Motors, Toyota, Opel, Hyundai, Suzuki, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, AeroVironment, and the U.S. Army.

Valence Technology (www.valence.com) develops and markets intelligent battery systems using its Saphion® technology, the industry's first commercially available, safe, large-format Lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology. Valence Technology holds an extensive, worldwide portfolio of issued and pending patents relating to its Saphion technology and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The company has facilities in Austin, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, Mallusk, Ireland and Suzhou and Shanghai, China. Valence Technology is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol VLNC and can be found on the Internet at www.valence.com.