Gary Holdsworth

Seismic Services and the Price of Oil

Could also add to your list of impacted stocks seismic equipment providers such as IO, BOLT, and OYOG.

9 Rules of Investing in Cleantech

Good job Neal. I only want to add a corollary to your point #1. If the management of that high hype, high P/E growth cleantech stock you are lusting after states the following "we are expecting that utilities will buy millions of these in the next few months" RUN, or better yet, SHORT. Utilities don't do anything of substance very fast.

Rethinking Myriad After 'Those in the Know' Have Left

Saw the same pattern, but thought that it was just "nervous nellies" before earnings. Bot too soon at $38 after I thought smoke had cleared. Stopped out today at $33. Chalk one up to a "learning" experience.

First Solar Buys OptiSolar's Power Projects in Major Coup

Just a clarification. The CPUC recently approved the power purchase agreement between Optisolar and PG&E for its 550 MW Topaz project near San Luis Obispo. The plant itself has not yet been permitted, licensed, or approved, but will need to be prior to commencement of construction.

First Solar: Tough Act To Follow

Funny, haven't heard the shorts talk about the doom-and-gloom Tellurium shortage in about a year. Guess that didn't quite pan out, did it.

Ascent Solar, Medis Technologies Both See CEO Step Down

MDTL - a notorious OPUD (opposite of UPOD), over promise, under deliver, for years.

Nine Ways to Invest in Idaho's Growing Economy

when I see an Idaho ETF, I will know the apocalypse is near.

Breaking Down PowerShares' New Pure Play Wind ETF

The wind turbine business is global. Country of origin for the turbine manufacturer is pretty meaningless, so I do not believe looking at country weightings is a good measure of the level of diversification in this ETF. Besides, just like the auto industry in the 80s, many of the leading euro-based companies are starting to manufacture in the US and China, the two main growth markets for wind power over the next ten years. Were the author to look at revenue source by country, that would be more informative.

The Long Case for ABB Ltd.

Goo point on the transmission build out for renewables. US utilities only spent about $2B per year on transmission early in this decade, they are now at $6B per year, going to $12B per year by 2010 and probably $20B soon thereafter if all of the wind/solar/geothermal projects that are in interconnection queues in CA, the Midwest, and TX all come to fruition. That means, lots of transformers, static VAR compensators, transmission towers, and power cable. Interested investors might also want to look at Quanta (PWR) as a premiere player in the installation of all of this T&D equipment.

Broadwind Energy: Fun with SEC Filings

Always good to know "where your bread is buttered" in these small companies. Institutional sponsorship by hedge funds is nothing new, but the average investor does need to pay attention to such things. Some investors are "more equal than others".

Wind Energy ETFs Blowing Our Way

I also believe the writer means Clipper Windpower (based in Carpineria, CA but London AIM listed) instead of Clipper Steam Turbine. Other key turbine manufacturers include Suzlon from India, Siemens (SI), and Mitsubishi.

US-only investors have few pure plays on wind. GE is largest US-based turbine manufacturer, but you don't own GE for just its wind exposure.

There are several derivative plays, including wind tower manufacturers like Ameron (AMN), Trinity (TRN), and the DMI division of Otter Tail Power (OTTR); carbon fiber composite providers for blades, like Zoltek (ZOLT) and Hexcel (HXL), and American Superconductor that makes power electronics for wind farms (AMSC).

Key domestic wind developers FPL Energy division of FPL, Edison Mission Energy division of EIX, and the Austrialia-based Babcock & Brown.

All of these are likely index candidates.

Diving Into the Water ETF

A minor correction to your bit on Ameron (AMN). Ameron does not make wind turbines. It makes the steel towers that wind turbines sit upon. Big difference, but demand for both is growing fast due to increased demand for renewable energy. It manufactures wind towers in Southern California and ships them throughout the West to a number of different wind turbine manufacturers. Some wind turbine mfgs are vertically integrated (make turbine plus the tower) and some are not. This wind tower business has grown from zero to a fairly significant (non-disclosed) number in just a few years. Just setting the record straight.

Selling Itron, Buying Intel; Eye on Macworld and Apple

Ticker symbol for Southern California Edison is EIX (Edison International is the parent co of SCE).

Retail Sales Softer (Ignore the Surveys)

Astute as allways, Barry.
The people we really should survey are the retail buyers and merchandise managers, whose job it is every year to decide who blinks first in the proverbial Holiday game of chicken.

By the way, is it just me, or is Proflowers desperate for business? I get at least two emails a day for either Proflowers or its sister brands. Sheesh.

GH

Who Needs 'Em? The List of Obscure ETFs Grows

I love the Skilling fund, although I would prefer to add the "Accounting Irregularity Hall of Shame Ultra-Short Fund", or the "Find a successful IPO and create ten more just like it Fund". Both should beat the pants off of any ho-hum index fund.