As billions of stimulus dollars pour into the development of a green economy, Americans find themselves facing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Investing now is like investing in Bell Systems (now Bell South, East, North, West and AT&T) in 1877. Of course, to invest, one must first know which companies are a safe, reliable vehicle for growing your pension fund.
1. Winslow Green Growth/Solutions (WGGFX) : The safest invesments are always those that pool large numbers of investments of varying degrees of risk. There are two such funds in the “green sector” of the economy. The first is Winslow Green Growth, a fund that focuses on investing in “socially responsible” companies, specifically those that actually try to solve problems facing the modern economy, rather than thsoe that simply exploit existing solutions. Although this prevents WGG from investing in some of the most consistently profitable companies, it also means that WGG may one day have a stake in the “game-changer”. The second is Winslow Green Solutions, a fund soon to be launched by the operators of WGG.
2. WFI Industries (WFI.TO): WFI Industries helps to produce geothermal energy in new buildings and subdivisions. By drilling long pipes (upwards of five feet) into the ground, and then circulating air through them, WFI uses the fact that the temperature underground is almost constant year round to cool houses in summer, and heat them in winter. Earnings are expected to rise 30% annually.
3. First Solar (FSLR): First Solar would seem to be another run-of-the-mill solar panel manufacturer, were it not for its innovative design which leaves out one of a normal panel’s most expensive components: the silicon layer. It is a relatively expensive stock, at $120 a share, but its profitability are expected to double within the next year.
4. Fuel Tech (FTEK): Although it is best to be wary of stocks like Fuel Tech, with internet-bubble numbers (such as 0 profits at the same time as sky-high stock price), one must also keep in mind that the internet bubble yielded great returns for those who picked the right stocks. Google, Amazon, and Yahoo! are still operating and profitable. Fuel Tech’s main product is a cleaner coal-burner, which allows companies to save money on cleaning equipment, and spares them the need to shut down for those cleanings. Revenue is expected to rise 50% annually.
5. Bio-Solutions Corp. (OTCBB: BISU): A manufacturer, as the name suggestions, of organic solutions to organic problems, Bio-Solutions does not focus on one particular area, but instead diversifies. It has developed a new and innovative approach to fighting malaria, as well as a method to reduce mortality among industrially farmed poultry. None of its chemicals are harmful to the environment.
6. Blue Earth Solutions (BESN): Styrofoam is infamous among environmentalists for being “the chemical that lasts forever”. it doesn’t biodegrade or photodegrade, it’s hard to recycle, and it crumbles easily (making it harder to recover) and it’s everywhere. Cups, packages, even constructions sites. Blue Earth Solutions has found a solution to this problem. It developed a solvent which breaks down styrofoam into its constituent molecules, allowing them to be sold back to styrofoam manufacturers for reuse.
7. Zoltek (ZOLT): Carbon nanofibers are the best at just about everything. Depending on how they are manufacture, they can be superconductors, or suprerresistors, superhard or supersoft, opaque or clear, and many other things. To Zoltek, the fact that Carbon nanofibers are virtually weightless is their most important characteristic. It sells lightweight, virtually unbreakable carbon nanotubes to various manufacturers of green products, such as newer, fuel efficient airplane- and car-makers.
8. Composite Technologies (CPTC): A manufacturer of the world’s largest turbines for wind farms, Composite Technologies has exceptional growth potential.
9. Plug Power (PLUG): A manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cells, which may be used in the future to power homes, cars, and even laptop computerse. Although it is not yet profitable, and is a huge gamble, it may eventually turn out to be a winner. If it does, it will be the biggest winner on this list.