The Gold Rush Series: A Wind-Wind Situation

"Numbers released by the US DOE (Dept of Energy) indicate that, although the current wind energy contribution in the Energy sector is only 1%, it could go up to 20% by 2030. This 1% requires over $ 25 bn which is meager compared to the $ 500 bn needed for the 2030 target. "

This piece of information (from Jeff Siegel, Green Chip) itself suggests that investment opportunities and growth in the Wind energy sector are guaranteed. But investing in wind energy is not a breeze.

Most of the smaller companies (in the US, at least) that deal with wind energy belong to the private sector. Wind is only one of many activities of these companies. So, investing in these companies doesn't mean that your money is necessarily on Wind! And in the case of companies such as 'Florida Power and Light', those other activities consist of production of energy using nuclear power and natural gas. Social entrepreneurs and investors tend to stay away from such companies, even though their wind energy operations have been impressive.

With the on again-off again progress of Enron Wind acquired GE (General Electric), being another disappointment, investors should look across the Atlantic for better opportunities.

Foreign investments can be quite troublesome; many of the thriving European companies aren't listed on the national stock exchange. Some of the most promising companies include : Vestas and NEG Micon (Denmark) & Nercon and Nordex (Germany).

Finally, try digesting THIS : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq-QUkE1DGM

That's the scoop for this week! Catch The Gold Rush series next week to learn more about the new economy powered by clean energy sources.