ElectriPlast Technology Spin-Offs – Solar Power…

Niche

Markets



By PK
ElectriPlast Blog Publisher



[ElectriPlast Blog Publisher's Note: One of the reasons behind this Blog is to highlight opinions on some of the emerging spin-off prospects surrounding ElectriPlast, and to speculate on those future applications -- Here's to a Better Future, PK sends...]


Today, I wanted to take a moment to look at the potential of energy production. In this instance I am looking at solar power and how ElectriPlast can impact a market still under development.

First, a little Background -- What is ElectriPlast?

According to the Integral Technologies website [http://www.itkg.net/], ElectriPlast is a breakthrough technology. By using plastic and metal in a way no one dreamed possible, ElectriPlast combines the connectivity of metal with the lightness and malleability of plastic.

The conductive nature of this ElectriPlast material is estimated to be equal or better than that of copper, and due to the disruptive nature of the material and its proprietary recipe, it is reputed to be adept in its ability to distribute power—an effectiveness which can, and possibly one day will, be a perfect fit to the Solar Power industry.

Why Solar Power?

Before going into the whys which should be apparent, let me point out the differing solar applications currently on the books, and those considered as futuristic.

First there is single appliance and home solar cells.

These are the panels you may have seen on the side of the highway to power emergency phones, signs, or even on the rooftops of neighboring homes. In general these systems suck-in energy from the sun, in some instance this energy is used to heat/cool water offering energy savings to homeowners. In other instances, this energy is converted directly to electricity, and is used to charge rechargeable batteries, or in some instances, used in feeding power back to the electrical power-grid.

Second, there are mass solar farms.

These are used the same ways as the smaller systems, but the primary goal is to feed the energy back directly into the electrical power-grid.

The futuristic proposals mentioned earlier range from the notion of solar farms covering desert wasteland--to the idea of giant satellite-borne solar collectors.

Though, at present, there may be numerous problems with the latter proposal, the general idea is to have these systems feed into a power-grid, greatly reducing, or in some cases eliminating whole nations dependence on alternative means of electrical energy production. And therein lies the answer to why advocates consider Solar Power an essential niche solution to resolving our worlds ever-present thirst for energy.

Where does ElectriPlast fit into this mix?

As yet, it doesn’t, or if it does, the details are hidden within provisional/pending patent applications. The reality though is that the notion of Plastic Solar Cells being a cheaper source of material over that of conventional solar cell materials is nothing new. Integral Technologies, the company that holds the IP rights to their own plastic-based leading edge material enhances their potential move toward this new twist on an old and potentially profitable medium for energy producton. They hold a growing number of issued patent rights on the basic ElectriPlast formula/technology; they have filed well over 40 provisional patent applications on issues surrounding their ElectriPlast technology; and they have an expanding number of pending patent applications that further broaden the prospective uses of ElectriPlast [Integral's Patent Page].

Though the company has not yet pointedly come out and identified their focus in this area—considering how aggressive they are in regards to the protection of their IP via patent applications—it would be unwise to think that the prospect had not yet crossed their radar.


[ElectriPlast Blog Publisher's Note: In looking further into Solar Cells technology spin-off prospects & profitability, I uncovered the following news releases.]

The first from Georgia Tech entitled “Tech Developing Efficient Organic Solar Cell” gator tech -- news

This article notes: "As the price of energy continues to rise, businesses are looking to renewable energy for cheaper sources of power. Making electricity from the most plentiful of these sources - the sun -can be expensive due to the high price of producing traditional silicon-based solar cells. Enter organic solar cells. Made from cheaper materials, their flexibility and feather-weight construction promise to open up new markets for solar energy, potentially powering everything from Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to iPods and laptop computers"…

…According to Bernard Kippelen, professor in the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech [Technical Contact: Bernard Kippelen, 404-385-5163, bernard.kippelen@ece.gatech.edu] “Once fully developed, organic solar cells could revolutionize the power industry. Their flexibility and minimal weight will allow them to be placed on almost anything from tents that would provide power to those inside, to clothing that would power personal electronic devices. The solar cells are still at least five years away from residential applications, said Kippelen. But he estimates that they’ll be ready to use in smaller devices, such as RFID tags, used by some retailers to control inventory, within two years. Kippelen and other professors at the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics started LumoFlex, a spin-off company based at Georgia Tech, to capitalize on the commercial applications of the research.”

The second news release comes from MSNBC entitled “Is the Price of Power Getting You Down?” msnbc -- news

This article digs into the new “nanotech” innovations with Solar Cell technology.

The third news release comes from Renewable Energy Access entitled “WorldWater & Power’s Quantum Energy Completes 400kw California Solar Project.” renewable energy access.com -- news

This article discusses how a company uses California’s new $3.2 billion and incentives program and the local energy company’s work-with energy feed-back relationship to virtually pay for the utility consumption of four tenant occupied buildings.

The final release comes from MyWestTexas.com, and follows up on the story focusing on “California Legislators Approve $3 billion in customer rebates to promote use of solar power.” mywesttexas.com -- news

ElectriPlast & The Rising Costs of Oil –

Limited

Resources





By PK
ElectriPlast Blog Publisher




What does this have to do with the prospective future of Integral Technologies?


The short of this OpEd piece is that, since Integral became a Plastic company vice an Antenna company, the company’s management placed their (and the company’s shareholders) fortunes, and future on the issue of oil, and on how fate intends to impact that medium.

This is not to panic those reading –

Far from it. More, it is to explain that a primary component of ElectriPlast is plastic. Some of the plastic used by Integral is derived from petroleum extracts. Actually, that is not a fair statement since the formula used by this company in the mixing of their ElectriPlast product is patented and is a closely held secret. Suffice it to balance my statement by noting that there are two types of plastic on the table. One is a bio-degradable plastic, which can be made from the starch material produced by vegetable matter such as corn, or a mix of vegetable/petroleum. The other is a more permanent, non- or less degradable plastic made strictly from petroleum—oil.

With the rising cost of Oil, comes the rising cost of certain Plastics. The impact to Integral and their myriad of ElectriPlast products being that the initial forecasted product price can, and *possibly will also rise as a result.

All right, that there is the bad news.

The good news centers on this one and essential fact: Non- or less degradable plastics, can and are continuously being recycled. That is the good part about being in an eco-friendly world. Many, many tons of plastic and various metals are recycled daily. This raw material is either separated, melted and used locally; or it is pushed directly onto manufacturing the sites.

*But take a moment to consider this—

And this is not to promote trade with China, but to explain a process in effect today—China ships tons of low-cost consumer merchandise throughout the world. Numerous ships loaded with innumerous shipping containers are ferrying this material on the high seas, and to ports in coastal cities as you read this.

Question --

What happens after these ships have unloaded their merchandise, the products have been warehoused & pushed further down the supply-chain?

Answer --

These ships are loaded with those innumerous shipping containers and sent back to their points of origin, but they do not go back empty. They are loaded with recycled raw materials—trash to you and me, and sent on their merry way.

Local city, state, country governments have found this a cheap way of reducing costs in waste disposal, so you and I end up paying less in taxes. The waste material is—through the use of cheap labor—recycled and reincarnated into the useful, low-cost consumer merchandise the world has come to take for granted.

The fact that Integral has recently arranged to have a Chinese manufacture involved in the creation of their pending ElectriPlast supply-chain is telling, and at the end of the day, may not be as impacted by the rising costs of Oil as you might have at first believed…

Latest ElectriPlast News... Dated: 3 January 2006

For Integral Technologies (OTCBB: ITKG), and their ElectriPlast technology, the Beginning of 2006 brings forth the first of a highlighted series of reportable events as forecasted by the company CEO, Mr. William (Bill) Robinson.

In the linked report below, Mr. Robinson offers the marketplace, and the company shareholders a corporate report card, detailing Integral's current status, along with a number of mentioned projections detailing the future as he and other affiliated parties (QuanStar) with a vested interest intend to mold it...


Integral's Chairman Issues Statement

January 03, 2006 09:30 AM US Eastern Timezone

BELLINGHAM, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 3, 2006--Integral Technologies, Inc.'s (OTCBB:ITKG) ("Integral"), Chairman today issued the followed statement to the Company's shareholders.

"2005 has been a tremendous year for us. We have concluded our fourth year of development of the ElectriPlast(TM) technology and I thought now would be an appropriate time to highlight some of the milestones that Integral has reached over the past several years, as well as share with you some of our plans for 2006.

When we first set out to create ElectriPlast(TM), we laid out several key objectives:

-- To develop the first highly conductive plastic on the market along with a portfolio of its potential applications

-- To protect our intellectual property and our shareholders' value by creating and maintaining an extensive patent portfolio

-- To establish internal and external ElectriPlast(TM) manufacturing capabilities in anticipation of strong demand for our product

-- To initiate direct and partner-driven sales activities in a number of industries

I am pleased to report that we have successfully met our initial goals, and I believe that Integral is very well positioned to take advantage of its first mover status in the conductive polymer market.

Product Advancement

We have spent the last several years and more than $6 million developing and testing our breakthrough ElectriPlast(TM) material and its various applications. Several recent independent tests have demonstrated that ElectriPlast(TM) is the most highly conductive plastic available on the market today. Like plastic, it is non-corrosive and can be molded into practically any shape or dimension, yet it conducts electricity virtually as well as copper. Each electric, thermal or acoustic application of ElectriPlast(TM) that we have identified represents significant market potential in many industries, including automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, military and medical devices, among many others. Antennas, electromagnetic shielding, RFID, heat release and non-corrosive wiring are just a few examples of numerous potential applications of our technology that have already developed, based on existing industry demand. The time is now, I believe, to bring ElectriPlast(TM) and its applications to the market.

Intellectual Property Portfolio

Over the past several years we have done a lot of work expanding and protecting our intellectual property portfolio, which we view as our core asset. Our IP consists of the ElectriPlast(TM) and over 90 applications of ElectriPlast(TM) in various industries. To date, we have received 12 patents on ElectriPlast(TM) applications, 7 have been issued, 5 have been allowed and are awaiting issuance, and 88 are pending. In the long term, we view Integral as a company that will generate most of its revenues and profits through royalties by licensing ElectriPlast(TM) and its applications to third parties. Therefore, I believe that the progress that we have made securing our intellectual property is of paramount importance to our future and the long term value creation for our shareholders. I will discuss our business model in further detail later in this letter, when I speak about our plans for 2006 and beyond.

Manufacturing

Whether we ultimately manufacture ElectriPlast(TM) internally or rely on third parties to manufacture it for us, we believe that our customers and our partners will depend on us to develop the best practices in production and to secure a reliable and efficient supply chain for our product and its applications. I believe we have made a lot of progress in this area in 2005. We have lined up several suppliers of raw material. We have enhanced our manufacturing know-how. Also, we have evaluated and are deeply engaged with several potential manufacturers that can produce ElectriPlast(TM) at high volumes.

Sales Activities

Having developed the product, secured the intellectual property and established the supply chain and manufacturing capabilities, we are starting to carefully and thoughtfully approach the marketplace with ElectriPlast(TM). We are currently in discussions with several large industrial companies about licensing of our product to them or creating joint ventures with them to develop and sell the applications of ElectriPlast(TM) to their customers. We have also engaged a strategic advisory firm, the Quanstar Group, LLC, to help us further commercialize our product and to structure and negotiate licensing agreements with prospective customers and partners. A number of companies have already tested our technology internally, and the initial feedback from the marketplace has been tremendous. We are more excited then ever about our Company's sales prospects, as we look forward to the next year and ramp up our sales and marketing activities.

Our focus for 2006

2006 is a go-to-market year for us. We plan to substantially expand our sales and marketing activities, focusing primarily on product licensing and joint venture opportunities with large suppliers to the industries that I have identified above. Under certain favorable circumstances, when we have an opportunity to enter into a relationship with a market leader or establish an important reference account that would additionally validate our product and position in a key industry, we may also sell directly to OEMs. That said, I believe that the bulk of our sales activities will be conducted through partners and third party suppliers with established industry distribution. We also plan to substantially outsource manufacturing to third parties, particularly in the long term. In 2006, we plan to dedicate significant attention to securing additional manufacturing relationships and diversifying our supplier base.

While sales and marketing are becoming the key area of focus for us going forward, we realize that our most valuable asset is our technology. It is important that we maintain our leading industry position and continue to invest in innovation going forward. Our objective for 2006 is to continue expanding and protecting our intellectual property, while sharing the cost of innovation with our partners and customers.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that I think we are on the cusp of seeing ElectriPlast(TM) achieve commercial success. I believe that over the next several years, we will be able to gain a substantial share of the conductive polymer market that has been projected by Business Communications to reach $1.6 billion by 2010. I want to thank you for your continued support over the past years. It has been an exciting ride for us, and we look forward to a very productive 2006."

Yours sincerely

William Robinson
Chairman & CEO
Integral Technologies

Integral Technologies, Inc. is the developer of an innovative electrically conductive resin-based material called "ElectriPlast," a highly conductive recipe that can be molded into virtually any shape or dimension associated with the range of plastics, rubbers and other polymers. Our IP consists of ElectriPlast(TM) and over 90 applications of ElectriPlast(TM) in various industries. To date, we have received 12 patents on ElectriPlast(TM) applications, 7 have been issued, 5 have been allowed and are awaiting issuance, and 88 are pending. Various examples of industries where ElectriPlast can be used are antennas, shielding, lighting, circuitry, switch actuators, resistors, and medical devices, to name just a few. The company is currently introducing these new products and ElectriPlast technology on a global scale.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Securities Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act. Actual results could differ materially, as the result of such factors as (1) competition in the markets for the products and services sold by the company, (2) the ability of the company to execute its plans, and (3) other factors detailed in the company's public filings with the SEC. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company can give no assurances that the transaction described in this press release will be successfully completed, and undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

For more detailed information on the company and the technologies described above please visit our web site at http://www.itkg.net/ or contact Shareholder Relations at 888-666-8833 or The Investor Relations Group, at 212-825-3210. To review the company's filings with the SEC, please go to www.sec.gov.

Contacts
Integral Technologies, Inc.Michael Pound, 888-666-8833

ElectriPlast Technology Spin-Offs (Real or Speculative)

ElectriPlast, the Next Generation of Conductive Polymer Technology...


In listening to the 8 July 2004 Digital Hour interview with Thomas Aisenbery--it is easy to see why some are extremely interested in this ElectriPlast material.

We are talking about a plastic material with the ability to not only absorb radio signals, but more importantly, the ability to also conduct electricity.

What are some of the things you could possibly do with such a material?

Such an enhanced material might be enough for manufacturers to begin considering polyanaline-based wires for products that include: electronic display screens that can be rolled up after use; clothing with polyanaline woven into it that changes color when exposed to a harmful chemical; and implantable medical devices that release a drug when someone's body temperature changes.

We are talking a material which can absorb electricity, light and heat. A material which has a unique affect on electro-magnetic substances (this substance can replace the conventional braking system in a car, making a device which causes no friction, and as a result would have no wear and tear affecting its performance).

Imagine the TV show, Earth2, where the actors pulled out a plastic sheet, and on it was an automatically updating map, highlighting their location and nearby surroundings, as well as the location of their base camp. Fact/Fiction are almost one in the same. An award winning Assistant Professor at the University of Texas is working along these lines with major government grants supporting her efforts.

I found a couple of things which may pique your interest as it had mine...

• http://www.physorg.com/news4049.html Speaks of an assistant professor at the Univ of Texas who is working a project based upon ElectriPlast's principles, and who has recently won a prestigious award--and funding to continue her research. Maybe she is taking a different approach, but from what I read, it sounds pretty much like the tech-talk emerging from Tom over the past few years.
  
• http://www.utexas.edu/inside_ut/take5/loo/ Speaks of Dr. Yueh-Lin Loo, the assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Univ of Texas--referenced to earlier. Dr. Loo, in this unique video clip, impressively tells viewers about both the capabilities and the prospects of her work, but more importantly of ElectriPlast's potential.
  
• http://www.expresstextile.com/20050531/hiperformance01.shtml Speaks of prospective clothing developed around the intergration of necessity and current/emerging technology innovations and computer/data/light affiliated resources. Worth the read if only to see what (supposed) patent results Tom has in play, could become--if they ever see the light of day, and get into the marketplace.
  
• http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200506/kt2005060620134212350.htm Speaks to a different prospect. This company has developed a way of making/merging conductive materials with ceramic substrates of a sort. The end result is a market that broaches on issues that are up--Integral and Tom's ElectriPlast material--line of possibility. At the very least, if Tom has not already drafted a patent on any of the aspects highlighted by this company, maybe he should put it on his to-do-list for consideration...

Similar but Different Paths -- ElectriPlast fits the niche Dr. Lynn Loo is presently exploring--but ElectriPlast is here and now, whereas Dr. Loo's research material is still in the developmental lab compound stage.

What Is ElectriPlast? -- The following will Help Explain

Inquiring Minds Deserve to Know...

Here is the low-down on what ElectriPlast truly is, and more importantly, what it is capable of:


ElectriPlast is a propriatery and patented, next generation of conductive polymer created at Integral Technologies Inc (OTCBB: ITKG). This material promises to offer a variety of plastic, silicon, and rubber-styled composite materials that can be used as a substitute for metal.

While today's conductive polymers are more flexible and weigh less than metal, their higher impedance has made them suitable only for low-voltage, low-current applications.

When polymers are doped enough to support high-current AC, for instance, they become too brittle.

Now Integral Technologies (Bellingham, Wash.) claims to have melded polymers with micron-sized metal filaments to create a material with properties that are the best of both worlds, to form anything from copper wires to flexible interconnects to antennas.

"Ours is the world's only highly conductive polymer," claimed Thomas Aisenbrey, inventor of the material and general manager and vice president of product development at Integral. "It's conductive enough that you can run heavy current through it, either AC or DC."

Called ElectriPlast, the approach is derived from a material called Plastenna that Aisenbrey engineered to make moldable antennas for wireless telephone handsets. The company embedded metal filaments in the handsets' case to gather RF signals. Then it broadened the recipe for the material, so that now its process can be used to make nearly any currently available polymer conductive.

• Listen to this linked interview with Mr. Thomas Aisenbery for further insight.
  

Or read the following archived files regarding ElectriPlast:

• "MATERIALS: Inventor's 'recipe' makes polymers conductive"
• http://nextgenlog.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_nextgenlog_archive.html#112715793702403083