Alternative energy ABAT the next HANS?
ABAT closed @ 6.97
The company makes advanced lithium batteries serving mostly China currently. They are growing very fast and are profitable. You know how much i like solars and alternative energy. It's the only reason i would even touch stocks under $10.
ABAT will be listed on the Amex on October 9th. There should be a rally before then as well as a rally after the listing.
I expect this sector to blow the lid of the freakin roof in 2-3 years. All these stocks will go steroidal.
I'm giving a $70 price target on ABAT within 2 years.
The company makes advanced lithium batteries serving mostly China currently. They are growing very fast and are profitable. You know how much i like solars and alternative energy. It's the only reason i would even touch stocks under $10.
ABAT will be listed on the Amex on October 9th. There should be a rally before then as well as a rally after the listing.
I expect this sector to blow the lid of the freakin roof in 2-3 years. All these stocks will go steroidal.
I'm giving a $70 price target on ABAT within 2 years.
posted by beanie11111 | 12:07 AM
181 Comments:
beanie,
why do you think FSLR will be up big tomorrow? you said earlier that it will lead all solars tomorrow.
I was looking at how FSLR was trading late in the day. Usually the daytraders drive the open, while the institutional traders do the closing. FSLR closed strongly and closed near the all time high. Hence, i suspect the big boys might want to take FSLR to the next level.
Let's hope the job numbers won't disrupt the flow.
Lots of balls being cut off? I mean, how else did we find Saddam Hussein?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071005/ap_on_go_co/bush_terrorism
Oh by the way, HANS is flyin and it's the next Coke.
HANS is a buy, and a strong buy on all dips!!!!
buy buy buy!
Beanie, GS analyst robbed me of my position and profit on HANS. These guys sucks, you rocks.
Also visit my blog
funnytrader.blogspot.com
and dont forget to cast your vote.
Any thoughts on
China Natural Resources Inc. (CHNR)
China Shenghuo Pharmaceutical Holdings(KUN)
GENERAL STEEL HLDGS (GSI)
Hi Beanie,
do you have on the blog somewhere a list of your favourite solar stocks?
and chinese?
thanx.
go solar go
Hope you're right I've been in ABAT now for a few weeks.
u just cant fight the street
everyone and their mother on the street came out and upgraded RIMM
express train to 110
but i aint ridin it
fslr 135 pm.
spot on beanie
go FSLR go
go LDK go
go YGE go
go VMW go
go go go !!!
Please folks, please try not to short too much. The next two years should be a really really gangbuster years for the bulls. Probably your last chance to mint some serious bucks before the crash of 2010-2012.
Sip Tech and enjoy Solar flare @ beanie's
It's ok to trim some on this huge gap up.
The market is now set to fly towards year end and A BIG JUICY HOT RALLY in 2008!
Be prepared and do not buy puts like the geniuses at www.slopeofhope.com or any other bearsilon websites.
Beanie,
Need your opinion:
Should I sell half of my YGE now or keep riding- I have over 400 shares @23.80?
sgv,
I think it's ok to sell 1/2 or 1/3 or 1/4 . There's an article yesterday by some alternative energy fund guy claiming that a correction in the sector is coming. I dunno about that , especially when FSLR is flyin.
Trim 1/3 or 1/4 on this gap up, whichever makes you feel better. And you will feel better and sleep well at night.
I still think YGE can see 40 by end of next week. But if i were to ask that question that you're asking me, i would definately take at least 1/4 off the table.
Traders tend to fade the premarket gap up (or gap down). Once it drops they cover and then go long.
Looking at GOOG and RIMM, this could be a really big day for the market.
Bearsilons go back to their bunkers once again. They are losing their resolve . They've been slapped around so mighty hard for months. Most are now confused and drinking cheap scotch on their linoleum floors.
Beanie,
Thanks. I've been a bit worried about the price fluctuations lately, I was going to sell at 32 but changed my mind thinking it will go to 40 sooner rather than later. Again thanks for the help- good luck trading today!
Follow FSLR. I think solars are gonna have a great day, along with tech.
mer just took down the futures
cnbc why arent u reporting the news?
If MER closes positive today, every bear should go on permanent vacation
merrill looking positive, already up about $1.
what the hell just happened to LDK? went to get some coffee and it dropped $3 to go negative
Beanie I see you love FSLR.
Thats cool but STP is for me.
I think STP will be a large worls company over the next 5-10 years.
GO STP and Solars
Beanie I see you love FSLR.
Thats cool but STP is for me.
I think STP will be a large worls company over the next 5-10 years.
GO STP and Solars
TSSP - cracks me up.
114% gain. I know it can fall just as easily as it has _probably_ been pumped, but it's still amusing to watch nonetheless. $.35 here we come!!
TSSP!! .0006 just 2 days ago! Today, .0016.
Thats 100% return!
Thanks Beanie
unreal action on LDK again
they really can manipulate that very well
if LDK goes below yesterday's low, then that would be bad.
otherwise, it looks like a nice day trading stock.
overslept and lost my chance to dump.
Yesterday I recommended GTEC at $0.27. It is now trading at $0.33. This is only the beginning for this Chinese pharmaceutical (with strong balance sheet and real earnings}. Huge growth ahead and much much higher prices. I am not a pumper but feel I should make a contribution to this board since I have benefited from it. If you read the info on GTEC, I think you will be inclined to buy it.
PS
walking to work past the stock exchange I saw the big STV ipo banner today beanie.. your take on it?
(china digital tv)
Beanie:
You seem to be all over certain sectors but have never mentioned the dry bulk shipping sector. That is probably one of the hottest sectors over the last 12 months and moving forward should continue to blow the roof off the numbers. Specifically DRYS.
Take a look at that stock. Currently trading at $97.92. Has a 52 week low of $12.63 and a high of $100.16. Stock has a PE of 15!!!!! Once they announce earnings in early NOV stock will soar to over $120. I can see $150 after Q1 earnings report. Another stock I love in the dry bulk shippers is EXM.
Take a look at those companies and let us know what you think.
- Rack
unreal on drys....after it finally starts to rollover...they give it 2 upgrades to prop it back up
action this morning doesnt suggest a breakout to 1555 level on SPX
but volume could kick off later in the afternoon
im shorting 52 week high stocks like fslr (not RIMM)
TEVA short in play.
you dont have any control in ldk
its gonna bring down the solar sector again
that intraday move was so quick and so unreal and unexpected
i was fortunate to get on the right side of the move
i wouldnt be suprised to see RIMM close below 110
Looks like the solar sector is going to shrug off LDK.
spx is stuck on 1555...the key key technical level
where do we go from here?
Up, up and away!
Looking back, Gosu's Sept 30 buy signal was sheer genius. Everyone who listened to him now have huge smiles on their faces!
ABAT humming along just fine.
$15 is a foregone conclusion.
BEanie, should we still hold LDK or sel it for now? Looks like dead money.
Ted, to be honest I totally forgot about Gosu's buy signal until I saw you posting about it on Gosu's Appreciation Day.
So if anything, we should be thanking YOU! :)
:: blushes ::
Anyone watching CRDC? Interesting story and maybe a takeover here.
ps
Make sure you own some ABAT and DLSL, our alternative energy penny stock plays.
YGE looks about ready to make new highs.
Beanie,
Oh my God I own 500,000 shares of TSSP. LMFAO..
Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine owning that much shares of a company.
dndn moving up.
how did i miss that on my news ticker
10/05/07 10:37am
LDK Solar Co LTD ADR Hearing rumor circulating about SEC subpoena issued to the co.
anyway made money long on it
but not gonna bottom fish anymore
if LDK cannot hold 44, the next stop is 34
LDK:
fear of being the next CAFE has taken over investors' senses. lol
I think I said LDK would be at 44 2 days ago,
LDK:
if it doesnt get back above 44-45 by the close, it could dip down to mid 30's. Strong support there.
I bought a bunch of LDK @43.20, betting it will get back up to 60-70 in 2-3 weeks. LDK got better fundamentals than YGE, but of course for LDK fear rule the day for now, thought I think it will fade in the coming days.
Once people realized how much they have lost on LDK and then the margin call....
This kinda stuff is what makes people nervous about buying Chinese stocks or stock they don't see.
LDK is a great buy under 45
My guess is LDK will close at 41+.
Money is flowing out of LDK and into YGE
Beanie,
Thanks for ABAT
YGE and ABAT new daily high
YGE $40 here we come!
Anon:
That's why any smart trader should not only rely on momentum stocks. Potential high returns but high risk.
Right now at around 45 it's a great battle going on between shorts and long. Sounds like you're shorting LDK?
I asked Beanie about LDK a while back. No I am not shorting LDK. I just don't like shit like this happening.
I own 5000 YGE and do not want it to go down in sympathy with LDK.
and yes that amount of shares and LDK situation is making me very uneasy. If LDK does not hold 44, I am dumping most of my YGE today.
very nice breakout on ABAT
Aaple new high. Weak volume.
Anon:
That's a huge chunk of YGE! Congrats, it's still going up and might even close much higher than yesterday.
I sold some of my AAPL AND YGE, just to reduce my margins and cash-in my gains. Good luck!
beanie,
excellent, excellent call on FSLR today. I wasn't even thinking about selling but the whole LDK thing got me a little spooked.
VMW looks like a good daytrading short here 91.8
Bear Stearns, which raised Google's 2008 price target to $700.
http://www.nasdaq.com/briefing/stock_summary.stm
RIMM UBS also raised its price target to $125.
Q3, highest the DOW can possibly go is 14,280
Q3 XLE 4% contraction EPS estimate Q3, that’s a disaster
I’M shorting XLE, NOW...
Q3, XLF 4% contraction EPS estimate Q3, that’s a disaster
Thompson financial
more likely than not, daytraders will soon take some profits for the weekend. Just be aware of it.
merger monday, next monday,
FSLR can be held here. Going to 200 by year end (or even sooner) is my opinion.
LDK is done going down and ought to be accumulated here 44-46. Ready to bust the shorts next week.
should we buy ABAT for the coming tues? it's listing on AMEX on tues
thanks beanie
QID, just slipped below RSI 30 to RSI 29, that is a strong short sell signal
LDK is a super buy!
Shorts will get their arses squeezed next week.
LDK is a buy buy buy, buy buy buy.
All dips ought to be bought. Don't get gungho though, CAFE should make ya scared.
But technically, LDK is totally oversold.
LDK is one of those stocks that you need to take profits when you get a big one, like we've been doing the last couple of days. Daytraders will be doing this all day long until the news get reconciled.
LDK should fly come Monday, barring any internal bad news.
I believe LDK has absolutely bottomed at 44 area today. Flyin next week.
This comment has been removed by the author.
anyone here owns CDS? Any thoughts?
LDK, short term target $58..longer term, new yearly high
Chinese court, routinely hands out death sentence, on accounting mishaps...so i don’t think the books were cooked...
mentioned CRDC this morning. Look at it now. Much more to come even if it isn't taken over Monday. Also, reiterate rec on GTEC. This stock will explode any day cause its just way too cheap. A China play but with sales, earnings, and astrong balance sheet. There aren't many of them around, especially at $0.32. CRDC and GTEC two must owns.
ps
alllright.. LDK just about to go green. all aboard!
"you dont have any control in ldk
its gonna bring down the solar sector again"
LOL
Looks like we gonna get another solar flare day on Monday
wow, our little lotto ticket TSSP is going places.
Made 90% on TSSP today :)
Thanks Beanie :)
Beanie,
I'm up by 2k today on LDK, should I sell at least half now or hold for more next Monday or so?
sgv,
i think LDK goes higher. But you can take 1/4 off the table if you are worried.
Solar flare on TSSP! it's cracking me up..was going to add another 200 THOUSAND shares but order didnt go through at .0014.
On another note, I figured out when to short IWM
(I'm 31 and 2 shorting stocks past 30 days)
Its when RVX , $RVX , ^RVX
HITS 21.65
RVX (inverse IWM) ,
HITS 21.65, SHORT THE MARKET
THAT’S when the entire market will tank
DIA, will retest 50 day, at 13,500,
( rough patch XLF, XLE earnings season ahead, most likely),
and then it’s onward to a 1,000 to 1,500 points xmas rally .
WoW! I'm up a whopping %200 on TSSP. Thank You Beanie. Got in at .0006 when you first suggested it.
YGE ready to blow thru the old highs next week.
$40 by next friday.
Beanie,
No, not at all worried, but slightly giddy, I made so many trades today, I could not think well, big profit like today keeps me too "trigger-happy" to buy and sell! LOL. I think you are probably right, there could be another solar "flares" by Monday!
Thanks and have a nice weekend to you and all. Happy trading everyone, it's been really great day!!!
take a look at the new IPO - STV
RVX (inverse IWM) ,
HITS 21.65, = 200day
extremely good buy signal...
SHORT THE MARKET
looks like LDK getting sold into the close again!
CRDC really on its way. You can fool all you want with LDK and other solar but right under your nose are two stocks you must own. CRDC and GTEC. Only the beginning as they boh are just getting noticed.
ps
Z - RVX?
Is that the right ticker?
VMW:
Time to buy the stock for a daytrade or an overnite daytrade.
91.05
beanie, are you serious?
I sold out today, and think you can buy it back at 89/88
Beanz,
thanks again for the ABAT, TSSP rec's.
GW Bush may not be hot with everything else, but he is hot with the stock market.
Bush/Benanke/Paulson are bear killers.
GTEC last call as it leaves the station
Great opportunity to buy CRDC here at under 13.00. Todays high 15.15. Shorts trying to hammer it but it won't work. I know this stock.
ps
"looks like LDK getting sold into the close again!"
bzzzzt! Wrong!
LOL!
It's hard to trust an anon post.
I have a double on TSSP! This is fun!
TSSP fiscal year ends on Oct 31. Most likely they will announce earnings on Nov 1.
I am crossing my fingers hoping they be very positive and propel us to .35 in time.
LDK:
woo hoo, you go girl
Sorry i was a bit early but now is the time to get in VMW for Monday's gap up.
90.63
I just knew someone would have a hard time finding the RVX chart.
AT YAHOO, use ^RVX
AT STOCKCHARTS use $RVX
And if you haven’t visited my blog, the past two days, you need to read it now...the charts show the exact time the market tops
zee
I'm doing it again...just like in FEB DOW tanked 1000, and i was screaming short short short (one and two days) ahead of the CHINA collapse and no one listened
well this time i have isolated the exact minute....
RVX = 21.65, that = the exact minute the market will top...
ABAT on fire!
15 coming your way?
Beanie,
Monday gap up will be ABAT baby!
Look at TNRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
only 2 hours sleep, and i got the whole thing figured out today...to within a 95% probability, which in statistical analysis = perfect..
WOW
zee
ABAT:
Won't you help yourself some with the next HANS? Too cheap.
between beannies, TK's, gosu and my tv show NBR, i get just enough info, to come to the right conclusions
thanks beannie, and gosu, and everyone else who posts here...
picked up a little ABAT (1000 shares) this morning at 7.60ish. not bad.
z,
Go to bed you goofball.
I really like the way LDK and YGE close. Beautiful launchpad for Monday.
I believe i can fly...........
beanie,
you da man.
Arun,
Welcome aboard the ABAT train.
can someone tell me the close for CDS? Talking about painting the tape. AMTD showed 11.85, can someone please verify?
It was trading at 11.15 - 11.20 all of the sudden close at 11.85?
sgv,
Still holding aapl? Great day.
I was holding AAPL up until a few days ago when I switched that money out for FSLR. Not upset about the move as FSLR has gone up a bit more than AAPL! :) Once FSLR looks a little toppy I'll consider apple again
I'm rich BIATCH!
FYI,
according to yahoo finance's page on ABAT, the CEO of ABAT earns $77,000 a year. Thought that was a little humorous.
Thanks to Beanie and everyone here...
I am rich Biatch! Still holding all my YGE. AAPl did great for me today.
Yeah baby
I'm rich biatch.
Now if only TSSP can go to .35 I could retire.
Hey Beanie,
I bought today TSSP at 14$, I'm already in the green 40% for the day.
I just wanted to say THANKS.
It's a long way to 0.35 (or 0.5), I am gonna forget this stock and see what it does in the next 2 years.
If it gets to 0.35 I am going to buy you a big present (I'm serious).
Like a car or something like that... huh?
I love the pic with the dog btw, is that your dog for real?
I put 10k into TSSP over the past couple days guys so I may be responsible for most of this big run but let's see where it goes on Monday!
Beanie is my hero...
Look at AAPL afterhours..
Beanie,
If TSSP goes to .35 I will buy you a new car too. I am serious as well.
Beanie,
AAPL baby....
When AAPL beat earnings and guides higher and announce a 3 for 1 split, it will pull a RIMM and goes up 100 points.
AAPL will pull a RIMM job soon.
AAPL doing very well. Remember that as the stock gets near 200 billion market cap, it would be more than 1/2 the size of Microsoft. At that point, it simply cannot go up as much. So start trimming at least 1/2 when the stock hits $200 per share. Put that money into VMW for the next super ride.
Beanie,
Thanks. I hear ya...
Do you think VMW will hit 100B market cap?
TV and Beanie,
I dump 20 AAPL OCT 140 call yesterday.
Oh well...
anon,
I happen to think that VMW will get to 100 billion market cap, assuming Microsoft doesn't decapitate them first (but we wouldn't need to worry about MSFT until end of next year).
Although I have a lot of money in APPL, YGE and other stocks, I have to thank you Beanie for recommending TSSP.
I put less than $400 in that stock and is having so much fun. How can I not, I have half a million shares. LMFAO.
It'll be alot "funner" if TSSP hits my wish target of .35 ..
:)
In certain parts of the country it could buy us a house free and clear.
Would be a great story to tell our kids. lol
Now let's wake up, and enjoy the weekend.
Beanie and the Beanie Army,
I am sharing my portfolio which is actually mostly Beanie's pick, and that too in 20min delay real time. Plz stop by and cast your vote at
funnytrader.blogspot.com
Thanks Beanie, my 200 are already a double. Enjoy weekend.
action on aapl after hours was pretty remarkable for a friday
Look at me everybody! I'm a rich BIATCH!! :)
Thanks Gosu. You really nailed it!
Catcher
Anonymous said...
Look at me everybody! I'm a rich BIATCH!! :)
Thanks Gosu. You really nailed it!
Catcher
Thanks buddy. Who's your daddy?? :))
Oh no....
If you have subscription:
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB119162915757750853.html?mod=yahoobarrons&ru=yahoo
Otherwise, LDK, according to Barron's 10/8/07 bottom line, and I quote:
"The Bottom Line
LDK Solar still looks expensive in light of questions about its accounting for inventory and therefore profits. The shares, already off sharply, could keep heading toward zero."
Beanie is GRMN still one of your favorite growth stocks for the long term??
i think next week, the QQQQ makes it to 53.6, in 30 cent up day - down day increments
so, that throws off, my start shorting the market signal, till after OCT 15...which very very coincidentally is options expiration week....
zee
dealmema,
Yes, GRMN is still one of my longer term favorite. Why they didn't buy NVT (which just got acquired by Nokia) is strategically stupid. But it doesn't matter that much. Honestly, who uses a cellphone to navigate while driving? I don't and i find that extremely dangerous. I have a GPS system in my car, attached to the windshield. Even so, it's not that safe when you have to enter a new location while driving. I assure you, using GPS on a cellphone is more dangerous than talking on the cellphone while driving.
GRMN will be ok and should still be the leader for many years to come. Only present problem is that GRMN is a customer of NVT. That means very likely it will cost GRMN more to use NVT's services.
The stock needs to close above 105 to go higher. Buy above 105. Otherwise, you might want to see how low it goes and then buy some at a big discount.
Will BARRONS article pull all solars from china down including STP?
NIHD, falling knife alert
HOT HOT company, S. America telecom
looks like good support 70/72
lol
Nextel zee? really? you still haven't gone to bed, have you?
Beanie,
What do you make of this from the Barron's article:
"Even after that sickening dive, LDK's New York-listed shares go for nine times book value and over 40 times this year's forecast earnings-so investors should still care if the book value, and therefore its profit, is overstated. The inventory that makes up that book value may warrant concern. With the help of an interpreter, Barron's talked to someone with knowledge of LDK's manufacturing. That person said that the company's silicon ingots were indeed so impure that a recent production run had produced tons of them that were too contaminated for technicians to even analyze with instruments. The company says it knows of no such problems."
peter,
It's unbelievable Barrons even print nonsense like,
'With the help of an interpreter, Barron's talked to someone with knowledge of LDK's manufacturing. That person said that the company's silicon ingots were indeed so impure that a recent production run had produced tons of them that were too contaminated for technicians to even analyze with instruments.'
Talked to someone? Yeah, next time Barrons wants to know about Microsoft's suite of products, maybe they can "talk to someone" like me or my neighbor down the street. I have an opinion too (and so does my neighbor).
Now tell me, how does producing impure ingots (if even true) effecting their business??? Is it affecting their business?
Barrons puts out a bs article because someone(s) wants to slam the solar stocks.
Short term the stock could favor the short sellers.
hank you barrons
got some fslr short over the weekend
hopefully we'll get a 4-5% dip monday on all solars
When panic struck me due to HANS downgrade last week, at the end of day I found stock moving up 7 good points from the start of day where I sold. Barrons induced sell off will give another opportunity, even in a daily time frame. Dont let them scare you out of solars.
agreed. since when does what barrons write move the market?
But keep your stops if you cant watch every tick.
Barron's effect has some effects on small caps or low floats, no doubt about that. But lets see how its going to be for LDK in general and other solars. I do agree with Beanie that someone wants to shot Solars in foot or may be want to get in at some lower levels.
For those are new here and occasionally likes to buy the lotto:
60,000% return.
Oct 3, 2007
Buy TSSP only if you believe in the solar/alternative energy bull market.
TSSP trades@ .0006
The stock is a pinksheet. I have not play anything less than $10 in awhile. But i truly believe in the solar and alternative energy super bull market that will last another 4-5 years. If it turns out to be the case, ALL SOLAR AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY stocks will fly, regardless of whether they're big or small.
At one point, TSSP traded at $0.35 several years ago. That is nearly 600 times the current price. I know there's been alot of dilution since then but it's a very small cap company, nevertheless. If the solars become white hot, eventually i see TSSP trading above $.35 . I don't mind increasing my stake 600 times. For every $100 invested, it could get you $60,000 when and if the solars become white hot.
Please play no more than $500 and consider it a lottery ticket only. I'm personally only playing $200 for this lotto, but could add more as it rises and as the solars really take off. I plan to hold for a few years.
Good luck.
[courtesy of www. beanie11111. blogspot .com]
z-stock babbles...
You have 10 minutes to get some shorts heading into tomorrow morning employment data, that thing goes against you, and will wish you had some shorts,,,or buy VIX and QID, as a hedge..
zee
Thu Oct 04, 03:41:00 PM EDT
You have no idea what you're doing, do you?? Be quiet and listen to Gosu and Beanie from now on!!
is it too late to get into yge and abat
overseas,
Not too late for ABAT.
YGE: buy below 28 or above 33.
Longer term, they're going higher is my opinion.
Short term, many of the solars are a little overbought. We'll see.
Beanie
What are your thoughts on GMKT?
is this going to 50 next year?
anon,
GMKT looks great fundamentallly . Should resume its climb to new highs. If the stock hits 30, i have no doubts it will see north of 50 next year.
2sweeties,
FSLR (my favorite)
SPWR (my favorite)
chinese:
profitable:
STP
YGE
LDK
JASO
nonprofitable:
CSUN
ASTI
pennies:
tssp
dlsl
(i will give a few more pennies later)
I will be adding some more penny stocks this week to our cleantech list. These are stocks you might want to own if you, like me, believe in the coming alternative energy and solar super bull market. If things work out the way i think they will, these stocks can become 10 to several hundred baggers.
Penny Cleantech (aka "The Only Penny Stocks You Need For The Next 2-4 Years"):
1) TSSP ($200-$400 worth) for around .0006
2) ABAT (no more than 2 hundred shares please) for around 7
3) LTHU (1000-4000 shares) for around .14
4) DLSL (no more than 300 shares) for around 2.75
Play small and diversify is the only way to win....
Note that most of your portfolio should be in stocks above $50.
hi
Thanks beanii for your reply re YGE and ABAT.
anon 12:49
HEDGE = 10% OF YOUR LONGS
if you had 1.2 million in longs going into employment report...
then 4000 QID was the proper order.
zee
I also posted WED or so, JOBS could be 100k = HOT / dow up 200...
well anyway
BUY QID AT $36
that's its support...
I'm short QID, long QQQQ, this week
zee
and if anyone can find
Gary's COT report for OCT 12, please post it here...( should be LONG)
thanks
Clean energy can't meet growing demand
Updated 3d ago | Comments 136 | Recommend 24 E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions |
By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY
Demand for renewable energy is outstripping supply, pushing up prices and raising the specter that some states may not meet clean-energy mandates.
Behind the shortage are the growing number of states requiring utilities to include clean energy in their power mix, as well as surging demand from big businesses.
By 2010, clean-energy demand will outpace generation by at least 37% unless a rush of projects is built, says a report due out next week from the National Renewable Energy Lab.
Under laws in 25 states, clean energy — such as wind, solar and biomass — must constitute up to 30% of a utility's energy portfolio in five to 15 years. In 2003, just 10 states had such requirements. Also, growing concerns about power plants' global-warming emissions have led consumers and businesses to boost clean-energy purchases by 46% a year since 2003. Much of that is fueled by corporations, which have increased their green power purchases twenty-fivefold since 2001, the Environmental Protection Agency says. "Demand is growing faster than people expected," says NREL senior analyst Lori Bird.
Utilities and customers typically don't buy renewable energy itself. Rather, they buy renewable-energy credits — premiums above standard electric prices that subsidize a generator for each kilowatt hour of power it produces. Consumers, for instance, can pay up to $10 extra on their monthly utility bill or buy credits online.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Renewable Energy | Shortage | NREL
Meanwhile, green energy, mostly from wind farms, has expanded 30% a year, NREL says. But new wind capacity has been slowed by a worldwide turbine shortage and local opposition to wind projects.
Partly as a result, renewable-energy prices have doubled the past couple of years in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Plains states and have risen up to 50% in the West, say green-energy marketers Green Mountain Energy and 3Degrees and broker Evolution Markets. In the Mid-Atlantic, wind-price increases bumped the average monthly premium on utility bills for green-energy consumers to $10.50 from $6.30, says Green Mountain's John Holtz.
By 2015, New England will face a gap of 1,500 megawatts — enough to power 1.1 million homes — between green-energy resources and what's needed to meet standards, Northeast Utilities says. It will have to import clean energy from Canada, though there are now inadequate transmission lines to do so.
Shortages could keep utilities from meeting state mandates, leading to hefty penalties, Bird says. Renewable certificates for customers in some areas may be unavailable or too costly. Bird says high prices should spark more clean-energy projects, though construction could lag behind demand by up to two years.
Post a Comment
<< Home