Tag Archives: 2008
2008 is the Year of Solar Energy, According to New Changewave Survey
“Keep your face to the sunshine…” — Helen Keller No matter where you look, alternative energy is the topic du jour. Driven by the economics of record-high crude oil, the spotlight is shifting to non-traditional renewable energy sources, particularly solar power. But while solar stocks were some of the biggest gainers for much of last year, recently the solar power industry has taken big hits – with several key leaders such as First Solar (FLSR) SunPower (SPWR) and Evergreen Solar (ESLR) down as much as 50% off their 52 week highs. To find out what’s going on with solar energy and the other renewable energy sources, we recently surveyed 182 respondents working directly in the alternative energy industry. Solar Leads – Solar energy continues to show the most momentum of all alternative energy segments, according to industry respondents. Not only has it shown strong gains since our previous survey in February 2007, but it also leads in each of the following areas: * Most Rapid Economic Growth – Past 12 Months: When asked which alternative energy sector has experienced the fastest growth over the past year, solar energy (49%) topped the list – up a whopping 14-pts since our previous survey in February. In comparison, Biomass – including biofuels and bio-products – came in at 41%. * Most Rapid Economic Growth – Next 12-24 Months: Going forward, respondents see solar energy (58%; up 20-pts) as experiencing the most rapid growth in the industry for the next one-to-two years. * Most Momentum – Next 5 Years: Over the long term, solar energy also retains its strength, as 31% of respondents (up 5-pts) say it will be the top sector for the next half decade. In sum, solar energy leads all of the other major alternative energy categories in terms of rapid economic growth. Solar energy is also seen as experiencing the biggest technology breakthroughs (27%; up 2-pts). But perhaps most importantly, solar cells are expected to be affordable enough to achieve a competitive return on investment within seven years (by 2015). “Demand for solar cells is unquestionably robust, the price of oil is trending higher, and solar tax credits will likely be extended,” according to ChangeWave Analyst Josh Levine. The forces are all lining up exceptionally well for the solar industry. It’s the right time for investors to be exposed to the sun and invest in solar stocks.” According to solar industry experts, the sector’s growth is being propelled forward by global photovoltaics manufacturers like First Solar (FSLR), SunPower Corp. (SPWR) and SunTech Power Holdings (STP) – companies that have developed superior business models and excelled in project management. Levine adds that the next big challenge for the solar industry is the scaling of production facilities for mass production at the gigawatt level. “The next generation of leaders will be those companies that are best equipped to leverage the latest innovations in materials research through manufacturing know-how,” he said. Clearly, solar energy has the momentum in our latest ChangeWave survey. We’ll continue tracking solar energy and other non-traditional energy sources in the alternative energy industry for new opportunities in 2008. The ChangeWave expert research network is composed of 15,000 highly qualified professionals. Members are surveyed weekly on a range of topics, and ChangeWave converts the findings into proprietary reports. Visit our website for additional ChangeWave Solar Findings and ChangeWave Technology alerts.
Top 5 Green Energy Companies From 2008
Thousands of organizations and businesses are going the extra mile and spending the extra dollar to buy utility-scale energy from renewable resources. So much so that the United States E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) compiles a quarterly list of the top green power companies from their Green Power Partnership program which came out in July 2008. Some businesses take diminutive steps towards a green campaign, but these companies are proving their allegiance to a greener environment by voluntarily spending millions of dollars on clean energy. Intel purchased 1.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January 2008. This compensates for 47 percent of the companies overall energy use.PepsiCo purchased 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2007, the equivalent of powering 90,000 homes for an entire year. This accounts for 100 percent of their annual energy use. PepsiCo was named Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007 by the E.P.A.U.S. Air Force has already purchasd 9 million kilowatt hours of electricity this year as of July 2008. They have invested in a number of biogas, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind energy providers.Wells Fargo has purchased 5.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity from wind energy providers thus far in 2008. They are also a Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007. More than green energy, Wells Fargo has made a number of other commitments to their green campaign including LEED certifying their buildings and offering online account statements.Whole Foods Market, the past two years has purchased enough green energy to compensate for 100 percent of their energy use, totalling to over 5 million kilowatt hours annually. The company is also investing in multiple other efforts to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment. Other organizations ranking high on the E.P.A.’s list are Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson and the University of Pennsylvania. Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Great Earth News. GreatEarthNews.com is ‘The Good News Site’ that provides information and tips to help you better the world. If you enjoyed reading this article, please check out The Good News Site!.