What's this all about

Ok- So I want to learn more about renewable energy sources- what's the theory, how that translates into reality - and I wanted a place to save my notes and links to articles. So here it is. No idea the best way of organizing at the moment- I guess I'll figure that out as it happens...

Monday, June 18, 2007

following on from Van Eck - unerlying index from ardour

http://www.ardourglobalindexes.com/

The Ardour Global Alternative Energy IndexSM - (Ardour FamiliySM) were designed to serve as fair, impartial and transparent measures of the performance of the Alternative Energy Industry. They embody certain characteristics that distinguish them from other indexes that attempt to cover the same industry. Key defining factors include:

  • Global. The Ardour Global IndexSM (Composite) - (Ardour CompositeSM) embraces alternative energy companies from around the world and is in fact the only global alternative energy index. As a result, the index reflects the different motivations – the environment, security concerns, oil prices, regulation and taxation – that drive the industry forward in different sovereign jurisdictions. The index also embraces the differing technologies and research initiatives that are taking place around the globe.

  • Inclusive. The (Ardour CompositeSM) strives to include all companies over a certain size that are principally engaged in the field of alternative energy.

  • Pure Play. The (Ardour CompositeSM) includes only those companies that are principally engaged in the field of alternative energy and excludes those companies in which alternative energy is peripheral to their main business. Pure play companies result in pure performance.

  • Rules Based. The (Ardour CompositeSM) depends on a clearly defined rules-based methodology, which is overseen by an impartial Index Committee. Little discretion is exercised in compiling the Indexes and a pre-defined screening protocol assures a consistent, transparent and arms-length compilation process.

  • Data Rich. The (Ardour CompositeSM) is supported by extensive data, including the wide dissemination of real time prices, extensive historic data and important information about constituent stocks.

Index Ticker
Ardour Global IndexSM (Composite) - (Ardour CompositeSM) AGIGL
Ardour Global IndexSM (Extra Liquid) - (Ardour XLSM) AGIXL
Ardour Global IndexSM (North America) - (Ardour NASM) AGINA
Ardour Global IndexSM (North America Extra Liquid) - (Ardour NA/XLSM) AGINAXL
Ardour Global IndexSM (EMEA) - (Ardour EMEASM) AGIEM
Ardour Global IndexSM (EMEA Extra Liquid) - (Ardour EMEA/XLSM) AGIEMXL


Ardour Global Indexes, LLC was founded in 2005 for the express purpose of developing benchmarking tools for the global alternative energy industry. It is a partnership between Ardour Capital Investments, a premier investment bank specializing in alternative energy finance, and S-Network Energy Technologies, LLC, a developer of indexes and investment products focused on both traditional and alternative energy.

Ardour Global Indexes, LLC operates as an independent and unbiased source of primary information concerning alternative energy. Its family of indexes is supervised by an independent Index Committee, which includes individuals with long-term domestic and international experience in the field of alternative energy. The indexes are calculated and maintained by Dow Jones Indexes, a business unit of Dow Jones & Company.

Ardour Global Indexes, LLC is committed to the integrity of its indexes and the data and information related to them. As a consequence, all index methodologies are transparent and rules based. Their compilation is almost entirely non-discretionary and the independent Index Committee assures arms-length impartiality.

Ardour Global Indexes, LLC has created what we believe to be the most accurate indicators of industry performance available today.


Industry Definition

The Ardour Global IndexesSM (Composite) - (Ardour CompositeSM) incorporate many fields that can impact the growth and development of the alternative energy industry. Revolutionary new technologies and evolutionary ways to improve the efficiency and usefulness of new or underutilized resources are both important in the advancement of energy technologies. These developments will impact alternative energy markets on a variety of levels, increasing the need to fully understand a multitude of market issues and fundamental technological drivers. In this way, we can track changes in both components and entire systems—leading toward a much deeper and complete evaluation of the companies involved in the market.

Industry Breakdown

Alternative Energy Resources. Companies whose technologies are involved with:

  • Solar Power- including photo-voltaic (PV) and thermal
  • BioEnergy- including power and fuel
  • Wind Power
  • Hydro Power, Tidal Power and Wave Power
  • Geothermal Power

Distributed Generation. Companies whose technologies produce power at or near the end user. These technologies include:

  • Micro Turbines
  • Diesel Engines
  • Fuel Cells
  • Hydrogen Generation and Storage

Environmental Technologies. Companies whose technologies are involved with:

  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Air Quality and Emission Mitigation
  • Clean Coal

Energy Efficiency. Companies whose technologies are involved with:

  • Lighting
  • White Tags
  • Cogeneration
  • Energy Recycling
  • Advanced Metering
  • Demand Response

Enabling Technologies. Companies whose technologies are involved with:

  • Power Electronics
  • Advanced Battery Chemistries
  • Flywheels
  • Superconductors
  • Ultracapacitors
  • Advanced Materials





another renweable energy fund

Global Alternative Energy ETF from Van Eck Global

GEX seeks to replicate as closely as possible, before fees and expenses, the performance of the Ardour Global IndexSM (Extra Liquid), AGIXL. GEX provides targeted exposure to companies worldwide that are engaged in the alternative energy industry and trades with the same ease and liquidity of a common stock.

As of March 30, 2007 % of net assets
Vestas Wind Systems A/S ecVWS 10.97%
Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica S.A. eDGAM 7.98%
Renewable Energy Corp. ASA eoREC 6.84%
Q-Cells AG eiQCE 5.73%
SolarWorld AG eiSWV 5.33%
Verbund AG ejVER 5.21%
Kurita Water Industries Ltd. jT6370 4.82%
International Rectifier Corp. IRF 4.61%
Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. ADS STP 4.32%
Itron Inc. ITRI 3.61%
Energy Conversion Devices Inc. ENER 3.28%
Cree Inc. CREE 2.98%
Conergy AG eiCGY 2.85%
SunPower Corp. Cl A SPWR 2.62%
First Solar Inc. FSLR 2.61%
Headwaters Inc. HW 2.45%
AVX Corp. AVX 2.25%
Chloride Group PLC lLCHLD 2.19%
Evergreen Solar Inc. ESLR 2.00%
Kemet Corp. KEM 1.97%
Pacific Ethanol Inc. PEIX 1.95%
Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings Inc. AVR 1.91%
Ormat Technologies Inc. ORA 1.90%
Evergreen Energy Inc. EEE 1.69%
Power-One Inc. PWER 1.56%
FuelCell Energy Inc. FCEL 1.53%
VeraSun Energy Corp. VSE 1.46%
Medis Technologies Ltd. MDTL 1.40%
Trina Solar Ltd. ADS TSL 1.12%
Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd. ADS SOLF 0.90%

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

NEX

New Energy Index

WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation Index (NEX)

New Energy Finance is delighted to have joined forced with US-based clean energy index provider, WilderHill, to publish the WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation Index: the first generally available quoted index of global clean energy companies. The calculation agent is the American Stock Exchange, and you can check its value on Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo etc.

The NEX was launched in January 2006, under the ticker symbol NEX, and is calculated by the American Stock Exchange. At its launch it has 86 constituents with an aggregate market capitalisation of USD 270bn.



http://www.newenergyfinance.com/NEF/HTML/Index.html

Constituent List here

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Carbon Trust

Carbon Trust gets a fair amount of press in the UK- two commercial arms
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/commercial

Carbon Trust Enterprises
business development

Venture Capital
Funding

Also look to have an interesting incubator program http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/technology/incubator/defaul.htm

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Green Century Funds

Specialist green focused mutual funds:

http://www.greencentury.com/about/


but not all that green... see holdings

offer two funds:
Balanced Funds
http://www.greencentury.com/funds/balanced.aspx

Top 10 holdings:
SLM Corp - MTNA (4.00%, 7/25/14) 3.90%
Dean Foods Co. (8.150%, 8/1/07) 2.46%
Johnson & Johnson 2.46%
Emerson Electric Company 2.36%
Cisco Systems 2.32%
Hewlett-Packard Co. 2.18%
Sealed Air Corp. 2.10%
AT&T Corp. (7.300%, 11/15/11) 2.06%
International Business Machines Corp. 2.03%
JP Morgan Chase & Co 2.00%

Equity Fund
http://www.greencentury.com/funds/equity.aspx

attempts to match Domini 400 Social Index

Top 10 holdings
AT&T Inc. 3.86%
Microsoft Corp. 3.78%
Procter & Gamble Co. 3.15%
Johnson & Johnson 2.74%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. 2.63%
Cisco Systems Inc. 2.43%
Wells Fargo & Co. 1.82%
Verizon Communications Inc. 1.74%
Intel Corp. 1.73%
Hewlett-Packard Co. 1.70%

Monday, May 21, 2007

Jupiter

Jupiter has an SRI team - http://www.jupiteronline.co.uk/PI/OurProducts/SRIGreen/SRI_Team/Biogs.htm

and three separate funds:

"At Jupiter, we offer investors two unit trust funds and an investment trust fund that operate on the principles of Socially Responsible Investments:

Jupiter Ecology Fund
The Jupiter Ecology Fund is a globally diversified fund that seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

Jupiter Environmental Income Fund
The Jupiter Environmental Income Fund is a UK based fund looking to provide income.

Jupiter Green Investment Trust
The Jupiter Green Investment Trust invests in companies that are focused on environmental solutions in key areas such as clean energy, water management, transport, waste management, sustainable living and environmental services.

Top 10 holdings in the Green Ivestment Trust as follows: some clean energy companies including Gamesa and Nordex (wind turbines) and Novera

RPS

RPS is a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing advice to the public and private sector on the actual or likely implications of past, present and future actions on the natural and built environments. With the increasing level of environmental legislation and regulation and a heightened awareness of the importance of environmental best practice, demand for the company’s services should increase.

Cranswick

Cranswick is a producer of “high-welfare” pork products including free range and organic sausages and other meat products for supermarkets and premium brands such as Duchy Originals. It should continue to benefit from the increased consumer demand for organic foods and concerns over animal welfare.

Atkins

Atkins works with public and private sector clients in a range of markets, including rail, water, power, health and education, to provide professional, technically biased consultancy and support services. The environmental services division offers environmental assessments, environmental management training, climate change consultancy and contaminated land remediation.

Gamesa

Spanish based Gamesa is one of the top 5 manufacturers of wind turbine generators with an interest in the development of wind parks across Europe. The company stands to benefit from the growing demand in renewable energy sources across the world in response to energy security concerns and attempts to reduce industrial carbon emissions.

Nordex

The Nordex Group is a leading global supplier of wind turbines. Nordex produces large commercially manufactured wind turbines in the 1.5-2 MW range that are suitable for use on shore, off shore, in permafrost and desert. The company is well positioned to take advantage of government policies aiming to increase the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources.

Novera Energy

Novera Energy is an established UK focused renewable energy company, with a portfolio of three businesses in wind, waste and water and landfill gas. As a long term owner and operator of renewable generation, Novera is involved in wind farms from early development through the operating life and de-commissioning. The company also holds the UK licence for Enerkem gasification technology which has the potential to make a significant contribution to UK Waste disposal.

Keller

Keller is a leading ground engineering specialist. It solves ground engineering problems such as development on contaminated land, the renovation and construction of waste water treatment plants, construction of new sewage outfalls and control of landfill leachates and ground water. The company has a well-established health and safety programme and is rolling out its environmental management system across all group operations.


FirstGroup

FirstGroup is a leading operator of public transport services, including buses and trains throughout the UK, and school buses and municipal transit services in the USA. By providing public transport it plays an important role in encouraging people away from cars and onto the public transport network. FirstGroup is currently taking part in an EU-funded trial of fuel cell buses.

National Express serves more than 1 billion passengers a year worldwide on its bus, train, tram and express coach operations. The company’s services provide an alternative transport mode to cars, and the company should benefit from regulation and policies which aim to tackle pollution from transport and high levels of congestion in towns and cities.

Shanks

Shanks is one of Europe’s largest independent waste management companies providing collection and management services for municipal, commercial and industrial wastes, including recovery and recycling services and also chemical services specialising in the treatment of hazardous waste. The company is well-positioned to benefit from increased legislation regarding waste disposal and also the current drive to develop cost-effective technologies that can recover energy from waste.




Friday, April 27, 2007

BBC article on microgeneration

Interesting article from the BBC last year-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4785488.stm

talks about one supplier for turbines but still expensive (2k GBP plus installation) - http://www.eclectic-energy.co.uk/

and also a blogger with installed solar panels - http://community.livejournal.com/green_power_gen/