Some Clean Energy Business Plans Are "Non-Starters"

I’m constantly reminding readers that I’m willing to review their business plans for free, and, if I like them, do what I can to help them raise the investment capital they need.  Historically, however, most of these concepts have been “non-starters.”  Why?  Perhaps the discussion below will help to clarify what works and what doesn’t:

Reader:  Hi Craig. Thank you for taking the time to return my call today. Per our conversation I have attached our investment pitch for our (waste-to-fuels) project. The company is hoping to raise bridge funding so as to achieve the initiation of our project. Once we have received the engineering reports, paid the municipality fees and other administrative costs we will have satisfied all of the prerequisites of the main project funding source.

Per our talk, I appreciate your reaching out, but this is typical of a class of projects in which I know for a fact I can’t help.  For me to have a chance, the team needs to have all the development capital in place, the project shovel ready, and considerable liquidity on top of that.  In addition, in a case like this, there needs to be no doubt whatsoever about the long-term availability of feedstock and take-off, as well as proven technology.  Re: the concept of using “other people’s money” to develop a project from the ground up, all I can say is, “That dog don’t hunt.”

If you can move this along to the point I’ve described here, please let me know.  In any case, good luck!