"If you're telling me that setbacks never occur in start ups, then I submit that you don't have much experience being involved in start ups. As to the "taking responsibility" bit - how do you suggest they do that?"

And I'll say if everything is tested and ready to go...and the only step left is to put feedstock into the processor and take valuable fuel out of the other end...then four years of 'setbacks' is extremely excessive. I have worked with startups.

Taking responsibility--that's as simple as keeping investors informed. If it rains on feedstock and that sets the company back a quarter, tell investors immediately, not three months later. If full commercial production is announced but it isn't happening, tell investors immediately that the founder has decided to change direction and 'enhance' the processors rather than pulling in $1M per quarter. If the plant breaks, tell investors immediately, not six months later.

It's not hard to be honest and transparent with shareholders. When the insiders don't do those simple things, they're trying to keep shareholders uninformed intentionally.