Shamus Funk

The orders for Plug Power fuel cell units keep coming in, and the company's stock price has seen a lot of volatility recently on account of these orders. Will the orders keep coming when the Recovery Act stops sharing the customers' costs?

Biofuel companies will struggle to match the sheer volume and production costs realized by Big Oil companies, but they can challenge Big Oil in the production of specialty chemicals.

KiOR delayed reporting its financials as long as possible. When the filing was finally made, big operational and technological troubles were revealed.

Corn and bananas share vulnerabilities that should have Monsanto and Chiquita worried.

BMW is marketing a brand synonymous with performance, and the BMW Performance Driving School is the perfect marketing tool for attracting interest from the company's target market.

Long before the situation in Ukraine began dominating news coverage, the USDA predicted that crop commodity prices would drop in 2014. Here are some companies that would be affected by such a drop.

Biofuels are a necessary component of the energy future for the United States, but major investments are needed before they can play a leading role.

When investors think, read, or talk about fertilizers, the topic is most often just nitrogen, with a little potash thrown into the discussion if global unrest dictates. What about phosphates?

There are many ways to capitalize on renewable fuels investments, but is ethanol still a viable consideration for renewable energy investors?

Chipotle currently labels all GMO-containing ingredients and has vowed to go GMO-free as soon as it can. What other restaurants have what it takes to follow Chipotle's lead?

GMOs are controversial to say the least, and in part due to its role in the spread of GMOs, Monsanto has all but secured its position as America's most hated company. Is Monsanto deserving of the public distaste, or should its research and development efforts be applauded?

Big oil and chemical companies have financial resources and established infrastructure that is, at this point, unavailable to smaller biofuel companies. In the world of biofuels, maybe size does matter.

Plug Power and Ballard Power are both making their marks in the fuel cell market, albeit via different business approaches. Which company's approach will win out over the long-term?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts warmer weather for 2014, which would lead to a decrease in natural gas consumption. Should investors be wary of natural gas producers based on government forecasting?

Mosaic's year-over-year earnings were ugly, and that is to be expected for the rest of the fertilizer industry as well. Mosaic's operational improvements, however, provide a baseline for comparison on how fertilizer companies are able to handle the decline in nutrient prices.

Two roads diverge for Monsanto: bringing engineered wheat to the commercial market or backing away from GMOs. Which path will Monsanto take?

Amyris continues to expand their market for renewable specialty chemicals as it ramps up production rates. Cosmetics and other niche markets will help to pay the bills while the biofuel market gains momentum.

Proposed changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard established by the Environmental Protection Agency call for a cut in ethanol production, which could have a cascading effect on nitrogen fertilizer companies.

DuPont's agricultural segment continues to outperform the rest of the company's business segments. Does it have what it takes to compete with Monsanto?

Kimberly-Clark and Hershey both saw gains in January as the biggest market indexes saw declines. It looks to be a good year for classic grandma stocks!