Alan Young

The Smart Grid Gets Its Own ETF

I agree this is an important niche that deserves its own ETF. But why is the biggest position in a PV-solar play? That's hardly related, much less essential, to a smart grid. It makes me think that the index is not well constructed to fit the investment thesis.

Opportunities in the Wind Energy Value Chain

Thanks for the useful analysis!

Grid Connectivity: Invest in Alternative Energy's Missing Link

This is a compelling story, and I have seen numerous articles about it over the past year or so. Trouble is, these stocks are not doing well, despite the good story.

When is our country going to get serious about investing in the grid?

Why I'm Long Uranium and Nuclear / Power Engineering

Good comments above.

The author brings so much political baggage into the analysis that there is no credibility to any of his conclusions.

The 10 Most Traded European ADRs

Good article: a very simple concept, but one I've never looked into before.

Desertec Solar Project: Investors Can't Afford to Be Too Green if They Want to Make Money

Fine, but why do you think "green" investors don't like ABB etc.? They are mentioned in countless articles on Cleantech investing, because *any* new alternative-energy capacity has to be linked to the grid.

Investing in the Smart Grid

The author is right about all the fundamentals, and about the risks.

If the figure of "$2 trillion by 2030" is right, that's $100 billion per year, ON AVERAGE. But having tried this investment thesis starting over a year ago, I realized that one can go broke waiting for an "average" year. The real question becomes, when will all this growth actually start?

Will Pickens' Scrapped Project Slow Wind Energy Momentum?

Thanks for filling in the details. It's certainly true that the grid infrastructure has to be put in place for any major new development; but we need better grid anyway. It's just a matter of when.

Storage: The Best Renewable Energy Integration Strategy?

Tom, I appreciate your comprehensive view.

Since GE has just announced big plans for manufacturing NaS batteries for grid applications (notably, wind power storage), does that change your interpretation of priorities?

ABB / Kuhlman: Sweetspot for the Power Grid

Exposure to power-grid infrastructure is a key theme. Exposure to Swiss-franc-denominate... stock is another: much better holding power than dollars or Euros. And up 3.8% today.

New Wind ETF Cools Off Sunburned Portfolios

Thanks, Tom, you make some good points.

As it happens, I do have just about $20k to invest in Alternative Energy, but if I implemented your strategy, I'd have a lot of trading costs, at $9 per pick. That hardly beats managed-fund expense, especially if I have to revise some of the picks.

My other concern is the liquidity/spread of the .PK issues. Can you comment on this? I especially like Sharp and New Flier.

--Aalan