Funds with a focus on alternative energy (solar, wind)

PRESSmUP

In addition to the recent Paris climate agreement, the US Congress unexpectedly agreed to extend tax credits for solar and wind for another five years. This may provide an unexpected boost to the industry, which has seen a fairly impressive growth in year over year power generation capability in the US. As the cost per kilowatt hour for both wind and solar is decreasing rapidly, and the companies in this industry are maturing, this is something that I will be looking at for 2016 as a flyer.

Anyone have funds focused in this area that I might consider?

thanks,

press

JoJo26

TAN and FAN. Don't try to get too fancy if you want to try and play that theme.

AndyJ

All the pure plays are pretty volatile - the ups and downs have been a fact of life to this point. I've owned a tiny bit of NEXTX for a while - the theme is "new economy," including renewables - and I've bought and sold some QCLN and ICLN a time or two.

Depending on a bunch of factors specific to your situation (e.g., your utility rates, the laws in your state governing net metering, the orientation of your house) one of the best long-term investments in renewables may be not a financial product, but solar panels on your roof. The investment calculus works where I live, and it isn't in California. Things are moving fast on the solar front.

PRESSmUP

thanks....but as a group, these seem not worthy of a wager. Sounded like a good idea at the time though.

AndyJ

PRESSmUP said:

thanks....but as a group, these seem not worthy of a wager. Sounded like a good idea at the time though.

I think it'll be better for MF investing when more broad-based funds start taking normal positions in a few renewables companies as part of a more diversified portfolio. Not many do that now, but maybe the conventional outlook for alt energy will change with the tax credit extension and the push for more solar and wind capacity by "normal" utilities.

The solar panels, in my case at least, are a steadier, much less risky investment - essentially locking in the elec rates when they were installed for the next 30 years, with the utility raising rates almost every year.

AndyJ

Delete.

TSP_Transfer

@AndyJ Thanks for NEXTX,looks interesting with the Sierra Club connection.
About the Shelton Green Alpha Fund Sub-Advisor
Founded in July 2007, Green Alpha Advisors, LLC (G A A) is a registered investment advisor based in Boulder, Colorado. The Green Alpha Advisors team has deep domain experience as environmentally progressive asset managers.
http://sheltoncap.com/mutual-funds/domestic-equity/shelton-green-alpha-fund-fossil-free-investing/about-the-green-alpha-fund-sub-advisor/
Also for @PRESSmUP
HASI Hannon Armstrong provides debt and equity financing to the energy efficiency and renewable energy markets
https://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:HASI&ei=xWx1Vvm2NIzYjAHF1Le4BQ
http://www.hannonarmstrong.com/

AndyJ

TSP, thanks, HASI looks interesting. The financing side of renewables is definitely cranking up. "Yieldcos" have been in the news lately too, sort of the MLPs of the alt energy world.

Ted

@PRESSmUP: List of Funds:
Regards,
Ted
http://etfdb.com/etfdb-category/alternative-energy-equities/