The two licenses are with rural cooperatives. On the surface this is odd and
unimperessive. However, it has several advantages for BLP at the present
stage. BLP would like to have water-fueld power units on line in a
commercial setting in the near future. They don't need to grapple with the
regulatory context of a public utility. These cooperatives are
entrepreneural and make thier own rules to a large extent. They buy power
from established utilities and distribute it to members of the cooperative.
A first-generation BLP power unit of any significant capacity can be hooked
into the local system at low risk and a decrease in the outside power
bought.
For BLP this brings invauable operating experience, including realistic
measure of consumeables and reliability. It also aswers critics by
demonstrating a real system operating 24/7. The cooperatives are essentially
private, reporting to their members and not to the public or stockholders.
Mike Carrell
