Note 10 - Business Segment Information

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 10.  Business Segment Information

Management views the Company as operating in two major business segments:  Power and Energy Group, and All Other operations.

The Power and Energy Group develops, produces, and sells battery systems.  The All Others group consists of the remaining portions of the previous Life Sciences and Performance Materials groups.  Management completed a thorough review of operations and strategies and determined that it was in the best interests of the shareholders for the Company to focus primarily on the Power and Energy Group.  As a result of this assessment resources devoted to the Performance Materials Group and Life Sciences Group were considerably reduced and no new development is being pursued in those areas by the Company.  For both quarters presented, the activity relating to the Performance Materials and Life Sciences divisions have been reclassified into All Other operations.

Reportable segment data reconciled to the consolidated financial statements as of the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011 is as follows:

     In thousands of dollars

						Depreciation
			Loss (Gain)			and
	Net Sales		From Operations			Amortization		Assets
March 31, 2012
Power & Energy Group	$	197	$	4,894		$	251	$	58,560
All Other		60		40			18		391
Consolidated Total	$	257	$	4,934		$	269	$	58,951
March 31, 2011
Power & Energy Group	$	2,297	$	5,972		$	356	$	23,006
All Other		254		(69	)		19		528
Consolidated Total	$	2,551	$	5,903		$	375	$	23,534

In the table above, the Loss from Operations column includes such expenses as business consulting, general legal expense, accounting and audit, general insurance expense, stock-based compensation expense, shareholder information expense, investor relations, and general office expense.

During the first quarter of 2012, long-lived assets decreased $314,000 for the Power and Energy Group.  During the first quarter of 2011, long-lived asset additions consisted of $162,000 for the Power and Energy Group.

For the three months ended March 31, 2012, we had sales to the following major customers, each of which accounted for 10% or more of revenues. Total sales to these customers for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and the balance of their accounts receivable at March 31, 2012 were as follows:

 In thousands of dollars               

	Sales		Accounts Receivable
	Three Months Ended		Balance at
Customer	March 31, 2012		March 31, 2012
Power and Energy Group:
Hybricon	$	131	$	-
Younicos AG	$	63	$	-
All Other Division:
Alsher Titania, LLC	$	60	$	60

For the three months ended March 31, 2011, we had sales to two major customers, each of which accounted for 10% or more of revenues. Total sales to these customers for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and the balance of their accounts receivable at March 31, 2011 were as follows:

                             In thousands of dollars

	Sales		Accounts Receivable
	Three Months Ended		Balance at
Customer	March 31, 2011		March 31, 2011
Power and Energy Group:
Yintong Energy (YTE)*	$	1,713	$	150
Proterra, LLC	$	512	$	379

*YTE (an affiliate of Canon) became a related party, as of July 21, 2011.

Revenues for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012, and 2011 by geographic area were as follows:

                           In thousands of dollars

	Sales		Sales
	Three Months Ended		Three Months Ended
Geographic information (a):	March 31, 2012		March 31, 2011
United States	$	60	$	826
China				1,713
Germany		63		-
Sweden		131		-
Other foreign countries		3		12
Total	$	257	$	2,551