PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND GREEN ENERGY/ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANIES

[DrD]

ETF fund with environmental, social and governance criteria, (“ESG”)

New SEC filing to release new fund
USCF ESG Dividend Income Fund
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1597389/000117120022000035/i22061_etf-485apos.htm#i22061a_010

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=167832588

[TRCPA]

I must say after about five months.....so far, the public infrastructure aspect of the stimulus program has been very disappointing.

Much too little in the way of stimulus, which was needed quickly....not over a period of many years.

[TRCPA]

Leading Renewable Developers, Investors, and Lenders Gather for First Major Post-Stimulus Renewable Finance Summit

http://www.infocastinc.com/index.php/conference/renewablefinance09

May 27-29, 2009 | Harrah's New Orleans Hotel | New Orleans, LA

Post-Stimulus Renewable Finance 101

With a stroke of a pen President Obama signed the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009 and ushered in a new era in renewable energy finance. Coming on top of the fallout from the financial crisis, the stimulus bill creates a dynamic environment of both opportunity and uncertainty for renewable financing: Opportunity to utilize new financial incentives and innovative structures to jump start a resurgence of renewable project development, yet uncertainty about how best to take advantage of these opportunities.

The Post-Stimulus Renewable Finance Summit will be the first major event to bring together renewable developers, investors, lenders and other renewable finance players to focus on the opportunities in renewable financing created by the stimulus bill and how to seize them. The Summit will provide an important opportunity for these groups to get the latest market intelligence on how investors and lenders are responding to the stimulus bill, how the government is administering its provisions, how best to structure deals to utilize its new incentives, and more.

The Summit will also provide an excellent chance for renewable developers and the financial community to reengage in the wake of the unprecedented burst of federal governmental support for renewables and explore anew the opportunities for deal-making opportunities.


Summit Highlights

Renewable Energy Loan Guaranty Program
Get up-to-the-minute information on the Program and how to make a good case in an application to DOE—plus get insights into the rules’ impact on moving deals forward and their affect on deal structures.

Tax-Subsidy Grant Program
Hear the latest on the Treasury’s rules for accessing the Program and find out how the Program will influence project development and deal-making activities.

Next-Gen Deal Structures
Learn about new innovative deal structures designed to take full advantage of the new tax credit, cash grant, loan guarantee and other stimulus bill provisions and vehicles for monetizing bonus and accelerated depreciation.

Equity Market Response to the Stimulus Bill
Discover how equity investors are responding to the stimulus bill and what strategies they are pursuing to take advantage of the new market conditions.

Lenders Response to the Stimulus Bill
Hear from lenders the impact the stimulus bill is having on loosening up the flow of credit to the renewables sector.

Public-Private Partnerships, Tax Credit Bonds, and Other Opportunities
Find out about how the flow of stimulus funding to the states and new tax credit bonds are creating new opportunities for renewables.

A Look Ahead: What to Expect For Renewables in Future Federal Renewable Initiatives
Get an update on upcoming federal energy and climate initiatives and what they will mean for the renewables sector


Confirmed Speakers

Marvin Burchfield, Vice President, DECKER ENERGY INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Chip Carstensen, Managing Director, NORD/LB FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC
Jon R. Chase, Senior Policy Advisor, ALSTON + BIRD LLP
Steven Chuslo, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, HANNON ARMSTRONG
Mark Comora, President, FORTISTAR
Paul Dickerson, Partner, Head of Clean Tech Practice Group,
HAYNES AND BOONE, LLP and Former Chief Operating Officer, EERE OF THE DOE
Peter Duprey, CEO, ACCIONA ENERGY NORTH AMERICA


John Eber, Managing Director - Energy Investments, JPMORGAN CAPITAL CORPORATION
Josef Eichhammer, CEO, SOLAR MILLENIUM, LLC
Ed Feo, Partner, MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & MCCLOY LLP
Laura Hegedus, Counsel, ALSTON + BIRD LLP
R. Thomas Hoffmann, Partner, BALLARD SPAHR ANDREWS & INGERSOLL, LLP
Walter S. Howes, Former Director, Loan Guarantee Program, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY and Managing Partner, VERDIGRIS CAPITAL, LLC
Gregory F. Jenner, Member, STOEL RIVES LLP


William Johnson II, CEO, COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESOURCES GROUP, LLC (Tentative)
Recep C. Kendircioglu, CFA, Director, Power & Project Finance Team, JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


Gisela Kroess, Director, Global Structured and Project Finance, UniCredit Markets and Investment Banking, BAYERISCHE HYPO- UND VEREINSBANK AG
Daniel Mallo, Managing Director, Project and Structured Finance – Energy, SOCIETE GENERALE
Keith Martin, Partner, CHADBOURNE & PARKE LLP


Jim Murphy, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, INVENERGY LLC
Jan C. Paulin, President and CEO, PADOMA WIND POWER, LLC
Bob Powell, Vice President and CFO, SOLAR POWER PARTNERS
Krista Sweigart, Counsel for Alternative Energy, AES CORPORATION
Charles Ramsey, Branch Chief, IRS OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNCIL
John Ravis, Vice President, TD BANKNORTH PROJECT FINANCE
George Revock, Director, CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
Ethan Zindler, Head of North American Research, NEW ENERGY FINANCE

[Mariner*]

Green Advances for a New Economy

Each year, Environmental Defense Fund surveys the landscape of environmental innovations in business for the most compelling new practices and technologies—those that continually redefine "business as usual."

* About the Review | Download brochure [PDF]
* Innovations at Environmental Defense Fund
* Discuss on our blog | Make nominations for 2010
* For the press: Social media release

Video: Bon Appetit Management Company's food and beverage innovation, the Low-Carbon Diet Program

http://innovation.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=38814

[TRCPA]

Stimulus Gains: Four Favorites In Infrastructure

By: TheStockAdvisors.com Friday, January 23, 2009 11:36 AM
Sectors: Construction , Industrial Products

Symbols: FLR, HAL, JEC, KBR, LAYN, LNG

"Infrastructure stocks have been laid low by the economic downturn; but once massive government stimulus programs get growth going again, these companies should be among the surest winners," says Stephen Leeb.

In The Complete Investor, he explains, "We've found four top infrastructure stocks, now at bargain-basement levels, that we think will surge. All are all astonishingly cheap when you consider how vital their role is in worldwide economic growth."

"It would be difficult to find a group of stocks more leveraged to economic growth yet whose valuations imply there will be no growth.

"If you have any faith in the world’s future, these stocks are for you, and we think they will be dramatic outperformers as stimulus spending starts to kick in.

"Most diverse among the four is Jacobs Engineering (NYSE: JEC), which serves the chemical, pharmaceutical, building/infrastructure, and oil and gas industries. Nearly 20% of its revenues come from government sources, domestic and foreign.

"The company has nominal debt and has been generating hefty free cash flow, which management has indicated it may use to acquire beaten-down compatible firms, adding to future growth.

"The stock trades at a historically low nominal and relative multiple, which when combined with long-term growth in excess of 15% points to exceptional returns over the next five years.

"Fluor (NYSE: FLR) is the largest and by many measures best in class of our four. Though less diversified than Jacobs, no company is better positioned to take on large, expensive, complex projects.

"As a result, even though the bulk of its business comes from the energy sector, cancellations have been few. That’s because the larger the project, the higher the ultimate costs of delaying it.

"Fluor also gets much of its revenues from government spending and from project services, where growth is likely. In fact, Fluor should be a core holding in any portfolio looking for a stake in infrastructure spending.

"Layne Christensen (NASDAQ: LAYN), a smaller company, has a leading position in water and mining infrastructure plus a stake in energy.

"Water infrastructure is one of the country’s most vital needs and will almost surely be part of the upcoming stimulus package.

"Like the other infrastructure ideas, Layne has abundant cash flow, which it is using to buy up compatible companies that are much cheaper than their forward fundamentals suggest. This is one of the best small companies in the infrastructure space.

"Finally, KBR (NYSE: KBR), a one-time division of Halliburton, is being unduly penalized for legacy issues (lawsuits, etc.) likely to cost the company no more than $0.10 to $0.30 in earnings over the next few years.

"The stock has declined to a ridiculously low level in which its short-term assets net of debt amount to about 60% of the stock’s value.

"Given that the company’s most important division is defense contracting and services, this worldwide franchise should have no trouble generating earnings growth of well over 10 % in the next five years.

"The company is also expert in liquefied natural gas (LNG), a promising alternative to oil. Longer term, LNG offers exceptional potential throughout the globe. Once new management convinces investors that its legacy problems are behind it, the stock should soar."

[TRCPA]

Stimulus package a ‘shot in the arm’ for alternative-energy industry, Colorado execs say

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/02/16/daily7.html

Denver Business Journal - by Cathy Proctor

President Barack Obama’s new stimulus package, which Obama is scheduled to sign in Denver Tuesday, is a much-needed boost for Colorado’s flagging renewable energy companies, and also a pat on the back for the state and its focus on alternative energy, say leaders of Colorado renewable energy companies.

“I think it will help Colorado gain prominence in the renewable energy arena,” said Blake Jones, president of Boulder’s Namaste Solar Electric Inc., who is attending the bill signing Tuesday at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

“We’ve been wanting to help the governor and others to attract other renewable energy companies to come to Colorado and this will help in that effort,” Jones said.

From wind energy to solar power, the stimulus package offers the industry support at a time when sales have slowed and financing has dried up.

“The solar industry has been buzzing with excitement,” Jones said.

“I’ve talked to CEOs of many solar companies over the weekend around the nation to compare notes. The general consensus is that the provisions that we’ve been focusing on, related to solar and renewable energy, will have a very positive impact on the solar industry,” he said.

“The stimulus package is a shot in the arm,” said Roby Roberts, the senior vice president of external affairs for Vestas, the Danish wind turbine manufacturer that is planning to make Colorado its major manufacturing center in the United States.

Vestas last year opened a manufacturing plant in Windsor, north of Denver, to build the giant blades that turn in the wind, generating electricity. The company also has announced plans for two more manufacturing plants in Brighton and Pueblo for other pieces of its wind turbines.

And the company’s suppliers are following Vestas to Colorado.

Hexcel Corp. (NYSE: HXL), based in Stamford, Conn., which supplies components to Vestas, will celebrate a ground breaking Feb. 19 for its new plant in Windsor, near Vestas’ plant.

Roby said the stimulus package will help the nation’s wind industry — and Colorado’s as well — on several levels.

A three-year extension in tax credits for producing wind energy, until 2012, is the longest extension the industry has ever had in the United States. The timeline will stabilize the market and open it up to buyers who hadn’t been interested in wind energy before, Roberts said.

The package also has tax credits for U.S.-based manufacturing of the equipment associated with renewable energy, Robert said.

“The rules aren’t written yet, but that will make doing business in Colorado easier for us,” he said. “There’s a lot of things in things in the stimulus bill that will really help our industry. This is a really important piece of legislation for Colorado.”

Vestas is hiring people for its plants, but with the global slowdown, it won’t hire ahead of customer demand for wind turbines, Roberts said.

“There’s a possibility that we could slow the hiring process down, but we really do believe in the U.S. market and we’re bringing a lot to the game in Colorado,” he said.

Jones said a measure in the package to offer a “renewable energy grant” — worth 30 percent of the value of the solar power installation — will be a big help for the solar industry and Namaste. It’s a change from the former federal subsidy of a 30 percent tax credit on the value of the solar system, which has lost value in the recession with many companies not expecting profits — or tax liabilities this year.

“It’s the same 30 percent, the same cost to the taxpayers, but now paid in the form of a grant,” Jones said. “It’s payable if you have a [tax] liability or not, and you don’t have to wait for tax time. You’ll get a grant from the Treasury Department in 60 days.”

Residential and commercial systems are eligible for the grant, Jones said.

“That’s huge,” he said. “It will allow a lot of our projects to move forward, a lot of them that have been on hold since the financial crisis started.”

[TRCPA]

States eager to start spending stimulus money

By Carey Gillam Carey Gillam – Sun Feb 15, 10:31 am ET Reuters –

But local officials see the rutted road as a prime candidate for a $2.5 million face-lift, paid for by the federal government.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, is one of hundreds of U.S. communities eager to tap into an expected flood of money from the economic stimulus bill meant to combat the recession.

"It is going to create a lot of jobs, immediate jobs, right now," said Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan, who met with city planners and business leaders to craft $229 million in project proposals for the community of about 62,000.

On Friday, the U.S. Congress passed a compromise version of a $789 billion stimulus bill aimed at reviving the reeling U.S. economy. President Barack Obama is due to sign the measure on Tuesday.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is aimed at reversing a deep recession in part by putting people to work. Infrastructure funds -- estimated at about $120 billion -- are earmarked for construction projects, including highways and bridges, transit systems and airports.

"This is the heart and center of the economy -- construction -- so it is important to get some of those jobs there," said Dean Baker, co-director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research consulting firm in Washington.

State and local leaders say the word from the White House is that the money should be spent quickly, preferably in ways that spur economic development and create jobs within a short period of time.

Around the country, small towns and big cities are rushing to comply, crafting an array of project proposals.

"Our plan foresees $1.5 billion in work that would employ roughly 45,000 people, exactly the kind of goal that President Barack Obama set," Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell said last week, as he outlined $443 million in proposed bridge work.

In California, among the states hardest hit by recession, there are $44 billion in "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects to pick from. The wish list includes $200,000 for a bicycle locker building with showers for bike commuters in Sonoma County and a $300 million civic center in Tulare County.

Cincinnati, Ohio, city leaders have $333 million in projects they say could create 3,700 jobs, including a $5.2 million airport upgrade they say would create 60 jobs and $2.5 million for street improvements in a low-income area that could create 53 jobs.

Fort Worth, Texas, officials want to use $471 million for a regional rail project and $177 million to improve the city sewage system.

UNEMPLOYMENT

In Iowa, where creeping unemployment is starting to take a toll, officials have a list of more than 4,000 economic development projects that could be started quickly with adequate funding. Last summer, widespread flooding in the farm state damaged infrastructure.

Governor Chet Culver proposed that the state spend $700 million of its own money on a range of job-creating, economy-boosting projects to supplement federal money.

In Council Bluffs, the city hopes to spend stimulus dollars developing a riverfront area with commercial space and housing at a cost of $24.5 million, including paychecks for 230 construction-related workers.

Most immediate, though, is the one mile rural road outside town. Transportation funds of $2.9 million have already been earmarked by the Iowa Department of Transportation to pass along to Council Bluffs when federal money arrives.

About $2.5 million will be spent to improve the road circling around the town's community college. As the college grows, it will likely become a busy thoroughfare, Council Bluffs public works director Greg Reeder said.

In a typical year, Council Bluffs receives about $1 million from the Iowa transportation department, he said, so the stimulus money would be a big bonus.

"Will it help boost Council Bluffs overnight? No," Reeder said. "But we are trying to find projects that will pay long-term dividends."

(Reporting by Carey Gillam, additional reporting by Andrea Hopkins in Cincinnati, Ed Stoddard in Dallas, and Peter Henderson in San Francisco; Editing by Peter Bohan and Stacey Joyce)

[TRCPA]

Infrastructure Stocks for 2009
Crumbling Infrastructure Means Building Profits

http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/infrastructure-stocks-stimulus/1643

By Nick Hodge
Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Look at these deals:

Calgon Carbon wins $5M drinking water contract in San Francisco

Insituform lands $13M in Atlanta sewer work

Jacobs Engineering announces 3 projects

EnerNOC signs 50 megawatt contract with Salt River Project

There are a few common threads that stitch these, and many other recent deals, together.

First, they're all infrastructure-related projects, either for our water or power grid systems.

Second, all the companies mentioned are publicly-traded, have been climbing in light of the news, and have made investors in the know a nice chunk of change over the past week or so. I'm talking 20% runs in some cases.

Third, all of these infrastructure stocks, and many more, will continue to rise in 2009 in step with the progress of the massive infrastructure stimulus package now being hashed out by Congress.

The time to load up is now, as Congress went back to work yesterday and is promising no less than a $750 billion aid package to be ready to sign in about a month's time.

Floods Cause Damage, Profits

The plan, called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, is being hailed as both good politics and good policy. Some of the money will go tax breaks for millions of working Americans, but a large chunk will be aimed at "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects that will solve serious problems while getting people back to work.

You see, in any given year, about 250,000 water main breaks occur in North America. Most of our water pipes date back to WWII or prior; some of them are even wooden.

Our failing water system causes billions of dollars in damage each year via floods, accidents, road damage, and power outages.

The Green Energy Gold Rush
$148 billion was invested in the renewable energy sector last year. Are you getting your share of those profits?

The world's wealthiest investors are... and they're doing it outside the U.S. In fact, half of the world's wealthiest investors -- those with assets greater than $1 million -- are invested in green markets.

This report contains all the information you need to start investing just like the richest people in the world. You can't afford to continue leaving these unchecked profits on the table.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


According the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the country needs about $12 billion annually to "replace aging facilities and comply with safe drinking water regulations." The Federal budget allowance, at about $850 million, is less than 10% of the required total.

The coming stimulus is aimed at filling that funding void. As Federal money is freed up, we'll begin to see dozens of new projects like those listed above. Related stocks will rise as fast as the projects are announced.

So pouncing on the right water companies now, like readers of the Alternative Energy Speculator have been doing, will pay off handsomely in the new year, and down the road.

Infrastructure Stocks: Blackouts & Bull Runs in 2009


Our electric infrastructure isn't any better.

The power grid is slow and outdated. Utilities still use wall maps and pushpins to find the exact location of a power outage. But new, intelligent equipment, will alleviate that by communicating outages and maintenance needs wirelessly to a utility's headquarters.

There is also not enough transmission capacity for surging demand, which leads to blackouts and brownouts on hot days when air conditioners are cranking.

Renewable energy has also presented a problem for the grid. The best locations for wind farms and solar parks are remote, sometimes hundreds of miles away from the nearest power line.

Part of the coming multi-billion stimulus will also go to upgrading the grid. New transmission lines, energy efficiency projects, and smart grid technologies will all be on docket to receive government cheese.

In its most recent "Infrastructure Report Card," the ASCE noted, "investment in transmission lines during the next 10 years is expected to be $3 billion to $4 billion per year, while the line-miles of transmission added will be only one third the rate of electricity demand."

As you can see, $4 billion per year simply isn't enough. But billions more are being freed up, and are about to be delivered.

Public companies getting that funding are also going to be Wall Street darlings this year as a massive bull run in infrastructure gets under way.

I've compiled a brand new report so that my readers can play it for all it's worth. To coincide with the report, I recommended 10 new infrastructure stock plays guaranteed to pay off in the next few months.

I want to give the report to you. Take a few minutes to read all about it.

You'll be taking this bull by the horns in no time.

Call it like you see it,

[TRCPA]

Renewable-Energy Stocks' Time to Shine

Obama's focus on climate change should help lift the shares. Here are picks from managers of three socially responsible funds

http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jan2009/pi20090128_375953.htm?chan=investing_investing+index+page_top+stories

Investing January 29, 2009, 12:01AM EST text size: TT
By Lauren Young

President Obama's plan for the U.S. to derive 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2012, as well as his pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, should be a boon to companies that provide climate-change solutions. It could also be good for socially responsible mutual funds, which for decades have invested in companies with strong environmental records and sustainable business practices. "Obama is making big noises about alternative energy, and that's really friendly for socially responsible investors," says David Kathman, an analyst who tracks socially responsible funds at Morningstar (MORN). (The Obamas reportedly own the Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund (VFTSX), which is passively managed.) BusinessWeek asked three well-established socially responsible fund managers to pick companies poised to benefit from Obama's climate-change agenda.

Amy Domini, founder and CEO of Domini Social Investments

Domini, who opened the Domini Social Equity Fund (DSEFX) in 1991, says that although oil prices have fallen, the world is facing a long-term energy crunch. She's a fan of companies that are finding solutions for high energy costs, such as Honda Motor (HMC). The Japanese carmaker is considered the "greenest" in the auto industry, she says, since it has reduced the nitrous oxide emissions of its fleet by 78.2% since 2000. A cost-cutting plan has forced the company to delay the expansion of several new plants. But Honda isn't skimping on its hybrid plans, which Domini says are the key to its long-term health.

"There is no doubt this is a difficult environment for automakers&mdash given overcapacity, supply glut, and weak consumers," Domini says. "Honda remains committed to its core tenet of creating fuel-efficient products that reduce our environmental footprint and has been able to introduce its advanced environmental technologies." Those include Honda's FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle as well as its new Insight hybrid car. In addition, 12% of Honda's sales come from its motorcycle business, which tends to be more recession-resistant, and that's "nice from an environmental-footprint standpoint," Domini adds.

Although alternative-energy companies such as wind farms or solar cells are the "low-hanging fruit" in the green sector, they are still smart plays with investment potential, Domini says. Two of her favorite holdings in the Domini European PacAsia Social Equity Fund are Hafslund (HNA.BE), based in Norway, which manufactures solar and hydropower equipment, and Vestas Wind Systems (VWS.CO) of Denmark, which makes wind power generation equipment.

Ingrid Dyott, co-manager, Neuberger Berman Socially Responsive Fund

Neuberger Berman's $800 million portfolio (NSBRX) invests in fewer than 40 stocks. (In comparison, Domini's flagship portfolio has 400 while the European PacAsia fund holds 177 names.) A recent addition to the fund is Praxair (PX), an industrial gas company. "Praxair is helping its customers reduce emissions and drive energy efficiency," Dyott says. It's also pushing innovation in "sleepy industries" such as refining and wastewater treatment. Praxair is expected to deliver a five-year annualized growth rate of 12%, vs. 9% for its peers, according to Thomson Financial.

Dyott also sees opportunities in infrastructure plays such as the energy grid, which needs an estimated $50 billion overhaul. She likes National Grid (NGG), a gas and electric transmission systems operator, which gets financial incentives from regulators to improve its environmental footprint.

Daniel Beneat, portfolio manager of equities, Calvert Investments

Beneat sees the best investing potential in renewable energy. He is bullish on the long-term outlook for energy giant FPL Group (FPL), which generates 40% of U.S. wind capacity and is also the largest generator of solar thermal power in the world. Another pick is Johnson Controls (JCI), which "has keenly positioned itself at the forefront of energy efficient technologies—ranging from plug-in hybrid vehicle batteries to smart HVAC systems to green buildings controls," Beneat says.

General Electric (GE), which never made it into Calvert's traditional social funds because of its nuclear and defense operations, is getting a second chance in newer Calvert portfolios, because its broad business units include wind and solar technologies. GE is also emerging as a policy leader in the climate change arena. "There is a remarkable and irreversible mainstreaming of the sustainability agenda in Corporate America," Beneat says.

[TRCPA]

Alternative Energy, High-Tech Development Driving California’s Economy into New Year

http://www.areadevelopment.com/stateResources/california/California-alternative-energy-high-tech019.shtml

By Mali R. Schantz-Feld (Dec/Jan 09)

“The gold rush started California’s economic climb, and the ‘green rush’ will take us and the world into this new century,” says Bill McGowan, California’s deputy secretary for economic development and commerce. He notes that the bulk of growth in the green technology niche is rooted in the categories of solar, alternative fuels, energy efficiency, green building, and water technology.

Location California: California's Economy Has Staying Power Location California: Taking Charge of Energy, Manufacturing, Higher Education, and Entrepreneurship California: Still Shining - The Golden State Keeps GrowingTesla Motors in San Jose is helping the drive towards green technology with a project that includes construction of a $250 million factory for the production of a new $60,000 electronic sedan, as well as the company’s headquarters. The Tesla campus, which will employ 1,000 people, is slated to begin production in late 2010. The city’s deal gives Tesla an 89-acre parcel that the company can occupy rent-free for 10 years, after which the rent jumps to $1.5 million per year. The city’s goal includes adding 25,000 green tech jobs in 15 years. As part of the state’s ongoing commitment to clean technology, a new incentive program waives the sales tax on investment in new manufacturing equipment for Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).

Besides fertilizing green projects, the state has passed legislation to promote site preparation and medical research. The state passed proposition 1B and 1C in 2006, a total bond package that includes authorization for almost $20 billion of state general obligation bonds for infrastructure improvements, and 2.8 billion for housing. Also Proposition 71 earmarked $3 billion to support funding for stem-cell research.

McGowan says that most high-tech industry classifications are represented throughout the state: high tech in the Silicon Valley, agri-science in the central valley, biotech in the San Diego area, and entertainment technology in Los Angeles. “We have more Nobel laureates, research and development dollars, and venture capital than any other state,” says McGowan.

Innovative leaders in information and computer sciences such as Yahoo, eBay, and Google are connected to California, grabbing global attention. California is the first state to be the official partner of CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair for digital business solutions and information and communications technology (ICT) that will take place in Germany in March. In previous years, CeBIT has partnered with other nations, but never an individual state.

In his 2007 inaugural address, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger compared California’s economic strength, population, and technological force to that of a nation-state. If California were a nation, it would be ranked among the 10 countries for gross domestic product. McGowan says that the weak dollar makes it seem as though we are offering “bargain basement” prices in the United States. He adds that half of the projects locating in California are from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and other western European nations.

[TRCPA]

Alternative-Energy Companies Grow Even as Others Falter Inquiries
Sales and Funding Rise in Anticipation of New Regulations -- and Spending -- From Obama Administration

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123181075624775965.html

By SIMONA COVEL

January 13, 2009

While many small businesses continue to struggle with tight credit and declining sales, one fledgling industry is seeing a boom in investment and sales growth: alternative energy.

Alternative-energy firms are reporting an influx of inquiries and business from a wide range of companies looking to increase their energy efficiency, especially from those that believe the Obama administration will impose stricter regulations requiring them to conserve energy. President-elect Obama has spoken often of the importance of alternative energy, also known as clean technology, and his federal stimulus package is expected to include plans to beef up alternative-energy infrastructure and improve energy efficiency in government buildings. In a speech last week, he called for the U.S. to double the production of alternative energy in three years.

So start-ups across a variety of areas -- solar power, biofuels and energy conservation among them -- are getting increased financing from venture capitalists and lenders at a time when other small companies are cutting back and being turned away by investors. And many are hiring more staff, boosting marketing efforts and expanding geographically.

Alternative energy "has been the brightest sector in venture capital over the last year," says Brian Fan, research director at Cleantech Group, an industry trade organization in San Francisco. "Everyone is thinking it's going to be a big priority of the incoming administration."

While the overall volume of venture-capital deals sank last year, investments in clean-technology companies totaled $8.4 billion, up nearly 40% from 2007, according to Cleantech Group. In the third quarter alone, venture capitalists poured $2.6 billion into clean technology, a quarterly record. In the fourth quarter, they invested $1.7 billion.

Some venture capitalists think clean technology is the next big thing -- the innovation that will drive the economy, much as Internet-related ventures did a decade ago. "Anytime big innovation comes along, it brings the chance to build big companies," says Erik Straser, general partner at venture-capital firm Mohr Davidow Ventures in Menlo Park, Calif., which has investments in several alternative-energy start-ups.

But whether the administration will turn to energy initiatives quickly enough for all these companies to reap the rewards remains to be seen. And unlike with other new types of technology companies, the growth of clean technology "depends on the right kind of government policies and incentives," Mr. Fan says, because implementation requires a certain amount of infrastructure and tax credits to offset the expense for users.

"The policy side is absolutely critical," he says. "If [the right policies] don't get pushed through, we will see a good number of these start-ups suspend operation."

Just the anticipation of a new administration has been enough to spur interest among companies. Green Panel Inc., a solar technology and installation company in Brighton Mich., is planning to add four employees to the 14-person, two-year-old firm over the next few weeks to handle new business that has come in since the election. Even though no new energy regulations are in place yet, big companies are starting to take a look at alternative-energy options, says Adam Harris, Green Panel's chief executive. He says one industrial firm held off on an order of solar panels until after the election. And he has heard from other firms whose executives want to have systems in place ahead of any regulations for big companies.

"What's really changed is the push from the top -- the fear of what could happen if they don't" put plans in place to cut dependence on nonrenewable energy like fossil fuels, Mr. Harris says. The firm expects to double its revenue this year to nearly $4 million.

Executives at venture-capital backed Greenline Industries Inc., a Larkspur, Calif., maker of biodiesel production equipment, believe the Obama administration will create a huge demand for biodiesel and other advanced biofuels. The president-elect has said he'll require that 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels are produced by 2030, spurred by tax incentives and government spending. The appointment of former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary makes increased demand even more likely, Greenline executives say, because of his commitment to ethanol production in his state.

Greenline, which has 35 employees, declines to offer specific projections but plans to triple its sales staff in the coming weeks. "It's a reaction to the administration change and to changes we expect as a result of the people [Mr. Obama] has picked -- the policies that will be happening and the growth in demand we expect," says Donn Tice, Greenline's chief executive. The company's latest round of venture-capital financing was in March, for $20 million.

Mr. Tice says calls from potential customers have picked up in the weeks since the election, and he expects the pace to accelerate once Mr. Obama takes office. In December, Mesilla Valley Transportation signed a deal with Greenline for a 10 million-gallon processing plant, part of a multistage, $25 million project of a company offshoot called Global Alternative Fuels. The election "expedited things," says Dean Rigg, chief financial officer of the transportation company in Las Cruces, N.M., which started processing biodiesel fuel with Greenline equipment about 2½ years ago. "We're all betting" that a push toward new biofuels will come quickly from Washington, he says.

Two weeks after the inauguration, Greenline plans to launch a new corporate logo and a new tagline: "Ask Greenline." Michael Brown, the firm's founder, says it's a response to the idea that more and more people are asking how to develop alternative fuels.

Some small companies are counting on the government itself for new business. Verdiem Corp. sells software that provides centralized control over power consumption, such as remotely turning off computer monitors left on overnight. Over the past year and a half, most of the Seattle-based company's growth has come from corporate customers. But with Mr. Obama's declarations that he plans to improve the government's own energy efficiency, Verdiem Chief Executive Jeremy Jaech sees opportunity. The 60-employee company is planning to add three or four new salespeople to its 20-person sales staff in the weeks ahead to focus specifically on federal operations in Washington, D.C. The company hopes to win the business through the information-technology companies that play a role in managing government buildings.

Mr. Jaech believes Mr. Obama will need to practice what he has preached, reducing energy consumption on the federal government's estimated 6.5 million personal computers. And Mr. Obama will have to start with his own offices, he believes. For his company, Mr. Jaech adds, "it's low-hanging fruit."

But while Mr. Jaech anticipates quick growth from Washington, Verdiem is hiring in stages. "I know the federal government can take a while to do things," he says.

Write to Simona Covel at [e-mail]

[TRCPA]

4 Smart Grid Stocks for the Obama Stimulus Package

http://seekingalpha.com/article/111512-4-smart-grid-stocks-for-the-obama-stimulus-package

Charles Morand
December 19, 2008


A few weeks ago, I wrote about how a new Obama administration would renew with Keynesianism (i.e. large-scale counter-cyclical infrastructure spending) but with a green twist to: (a) get the U.S. economy out of its funk and (b) propel America into the 21st Century by providing a massive push for its green industries.

I discussed certain rail stocks and electric grid stocks that could benefit as a result. By-and-large, I've been right on both counts about the President-elect's strategy (i.e. Keynesian and green), but I did forget to mention an important part of the plan's focus: energy efficiency and the smart grid. Tom Konrad did discuss energy efficiency.

The smart grid, however, is increasingly being thrown around as a priority of the Obama plan insofar as the transmission system is concerned. It's thus not just about expanding transmission capacity but also about making the transmission infrastructure smarter and more efficient.

Stocks for the Smart Grid Build-out

I'm therefore adding to my two previous lists some potential plays on large-scale smart grid expenditures.

EnerNOC (ENOC). EnerNOC designs, among other things, demand response solutions for grid operators and utilities. The company is earning-less at the moment.

Itron (ITRI). This company is a leading maker of smart meters, the key tool on the consumer end of a smart grid. ITRI is a stock that I've found richly-priced for as long as I've followed the alt energy sector, and at a trailing PE of about 70x, I continue to find it very expensive.

Comverge (COMV). Comverge also makes smart meters and works with utilities to design smart grid solutions revolving around demand response. It's EnerNOC's direct competitor. The company is also earning-less.

RuggedCom (RUGGF.PK). RuggedCom, as its name indicates, designs communication applications for rugged environments such as electric utility substations. That communication equipment embedded at various points of the grid is also critical in building a smart transmission and distribution system. This is a company that already makes money and trades at a reasonable PE of around 17x (reasonable given this sector's growth potential).

DISCLOSURE: Charles Morand does not have a position in any of the securities discussed above.

[TRCPA]

Cellulosic ethanol output could "explode"

http://www.reuters.com/article/smallBusinessNews/idUSTRE50869B20090109

Fri Jan 9, 2009 4:04pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ethanol production from wood chips, grass and other plant material could "explode" by 2012 if a commercialized facility to produce the second generation of biofuels is successful, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said on Thursday.

Schafer told reporters that he expected that by January 20 USDA will award a loan guarantee to Range Fuels, based in Colorado, to build a commercial-size plant capable of producing 100 million gallons of ethanol annually from woodchips.

It would be the first guarantee issued through a program created in the 2008 farm law to speed development of new biofuels. Schafer would not say how much the loan would be.

"If that investment is made and that facility gets up and running, it will jump, I believe, by two years the goal of producing on a commercialized basis ethanol from non-corn sources or non-food based sources," he said.

"If this first-commercialized production capacity works then I think it will explode the opportunities in second-generation biofuels," he added.

Currently, estimates say large-scale production of second-generation biofuels are five or six years away. Corn is the feedstock for almost all U.S. ethanol now.

The 2008 farm law allows USDA to issue loan guarantees of up to $250 million per project to develop, build or retro-fit a commercial-size plant for production of biomass fuels.

Advanced biofuels are those that do not rely on the corn kernel starch. Cellulosic ethanol, a key next-generation biofuel, can be made from switch grass, corn stover, forest waste, fast-growing trees, wood chips and other plant material.

The so-called renewable fuels standard requires the use of 11.1 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2009 with much of the output coming from corn.

In 2022, the energy law requires the U.S. gasoline supply to include 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels, 15 billion gallons from corn-based ethanol and 21 billion gallons from advanced biofuels, such as ethanol from cellulose.

(Reporting by Christopher Doering)

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Heavy Construction Stocks To Watch In '09 (FLR, GVA, PCR, MDR, STRL)

http://community.investopedia.com/news/ia/2008/heavy-construction-stocks-to-watch-in-09-flr-gva-pcr-mdr-strl1226.aspx

December 26, 2008 | By Ryan FreundAlthough 2009 is shaping up to be another terrible year for the stock market, there is one industry that is offering a glimmer of hope to beleaguered investors: heavy construction. With the highest unemployment rate of any industry - 10.9% in October, the construction industry certainly doesn't seem to be on the verge of a breakout, but several important factors suggest otherwise.

Our Infrastructure Is in Shambles
Our public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, highways, etc., is in a sad state of disrepair and suffers from local, state, and federal government neglect. According to a 2008 study by The Road Information Program (TRIP), 33% of America's major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
25% of America's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
36% of America's major urban highways are congested.
Roadway conditions are a significant factor in approximately one-third of traffic fatalities.
So it's apparent that the need for repairs is there, but need alone doesn't translate into actual work for construction companies. Someone needs to pay for these repairs, and that's where the government comes in.

The New ‘New Deal'
In a move reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, president-elect Barack Obama is contemplating funding more than $136 billion in infrastructure projects submitted by state governors. Such a move would boost employment, raise consumer purchasing power, and, flood the construction market with projects. While it is always a possibility that funding falls through, the fact that the Obama administration is already asking states to have projects ready is certainly a good sign. (To learn more about investments in this sector, read Build Your Portfolio With Infrastructure Investments.)

Heavy Construction Stocks to Watch

Company
Market Capitalization

Fluor Corp
(NYSE:FLR)
$8.15B

McDermott
(NYSE:MDR)
$2.10B

Granite Construction
(NYSE:GVA)
$1.69B

Perini Corp
(NYSE:CR)
$944M

Sterling Construction
(Nasdaq:STRL)
$223M



Even if public-works spending isn't as spectacular as anticipated, these stocks have already had lots of bad news priced in. Fluor is down roughly 40% from its 52-week high. Granite Construction, Perini Corp., McDermott and Sterling Construction are down 41%, 68%, 81%, and 32% from their 52-week highs, respectively.

Several of these stocks are looking extremely good from a balance sheet perspective. Perini Corp., for example, has more than $400 million in cash on hand; nearly 50% of its market capitalization. Add to that a miniscule forward price-to-earnings of about 6, and this stock appears to be quite undervalued. Fluor Corp.'s balance sheet is similarly strong, with a cash position of more than $2 billion, or 25% of its market capitalization. (Be sure to read, Breaking Down The Balance Sheet to learn how analyzing a company's financial statements helps to analyze your investments.)

Opportunity of a Lifetime
The economy is faring incredibly poorly, but the incoming administration seems determined to get people to work on our crumbling infrastructure. The heavy construction industries, and some ancillary industries, will most likely reward investors in 2009. If you are looking to take advantage of this new ‘New Deal', you will want to add some heavy construction stocks to your radar.


By Ryan Freund

Ryan E. Freund is the Founder and Managing Member of Freund Investing, a Professional Investment Advisor firm based in Massachusetts. Freund has been active in the investment field for nearly a decade, and has been featured in a wide variety of online media publications, including: Business Week, Reuters, CBS Marketwatch, The Motley Fool, Yahoo! Finance and, of course, Investopedia. At the time of writing Ryan Freund did not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article

[TRCPA]

Tech Stocks for the Stimulus Plan

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2008/tc20081215_847869.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_news+%2B+analysis

Companies benefiting from Obama's massive proposed spending may include broadband, infrastructure, and environmental outfits

By Aaron Ricadela

As businesses hunker down for another year of malaise, a few sectors of the economy are poised to benefit from the incoming Administration's proposed elixir.

Short-term beneficiaries of President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan will probably include tech companies involved in a broadband expansion; engineering and construction companies that provide the services to repair the nation's physical infrastructure; and green energy and building materials companies, which could receive grants, incentives, and contracts under the proposal's energy-efficiency planks.

The Obama Administration hasn't detailed the plan aimed at restarting the stalled American economy, but the President-elect has said the goal is to create 2.5 million new jobs. Economists have said that the total spending could hit between $700 million and $1 trillion over two years. Obama's transition team hopes Congress will pass the coming bill shortly after it reconvenes in January. Obama and his advisers have laid out a few broad ideas, including proposals to rebuild roads and bridges, improve the power grid to cut carbon emissions, introduce more energy-efficient roofs and more accurate power meters for homes, and modernize the nation's health-care system with computerized medical records and other technology. The President-elect has also proposed spending new federal money for wiring schools and libraries for Internet access.

Tech Cheerleader
Companies that could benefit from the spending are seeing their stock prices rise. Shares of Intel (INTC) have risen 4% since Dec. 11 on anticipation the plan would boost government spending on information technology. Memory-chip maker Micron Technology's (MU) stock also got a lift last week from the news. "There's a common thread through Obama's policy positions: a strong recognition of the role that technology plays," says Don Whiteside, vice-president for global public policy at Intel.

It's not just tech that is benefiting. Shares of heavy equipment makers Caterpillar (CAT) and Deere (DE) and construction company Fluor (FLR) have posted sharp gains in the past month as investors expect them to reap new stimulus-related contracts. And companies involved with energy-efficient materials and renewable fuels are hoping for a burst of green jobs created as a result of new government spending.

To be sure, even companies that could benefit from the plan are hurting now. Intel and Cisco Systems (CSCO), supplying much of the equipment used to build data networks, recently issued dour forecasts. The U.S. economy is staggering toward the end of a yearlong recession that could last into 2009. Jobless claims recently rose to a 26-year high, and companies including AT&T (T), Citibank (C), and Dow Chemical (DOW) are laying off tens of thousands of workers.

page 2 of 2)

One pillar of Obama's recovery plan is expanding speedy Internet access, which his advisers and many experts say can help improve economic growth. The U.S. trails many countries in Europe and Asia in broadband penetration and speed. Obama has proposed financing faster broadband for more areas of the country using the nation's Universal Service Fund, levied on phone companies by the government to provide telephone service to rural and poor areas. "Basic infrastructure 50 years ago was an interstate highway system," says Intel's Whiteside. "Basic infrastructure today includes broadband."

Uncle Sam an Unfair Rival?
The proposal is sure to be controversial. The companies that currently provide broadband Net service—AT&T, Verizon Communications (VZ), and T-Mobile (DT), among others—spend billions every year building the infrastructure to offer their services, and many think it's unfair for the government to get into business in competition with them. If the government offers Net services at low rates or for free, it could cut into their profits.

The incoming Administration also plans to spend on information technology to improve the country's health-care system by providing doctors with more up-to-date and accurate information on patients. "The No. 1 thing the [next] President needs to do for the technology sector is to focus on health-care information technology," says Marc Benioff, CEO of Web software maker Salesforce.com (CRM), in an interview shortly before the Nov. 4 election. Undertaking such a program "can dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of the national health-care system," he says.

Companies with an interest in electronic medical record technology, including IBM (IBM) and Microsoft (MSFT), could also gain. Microsoft is marketing software that can help patients with chronic diseases such as hypertension track their conditions from home and has equipped hospitals in Wisconsin and elsewhere to track treatments across groups of patients. The company is watching proposed legislation that could give doctors and hospitals an incentive to share more patient data, says Peter Neupert, a corporate vice-president in Microsoft's health solutions group. Intel is also pushing for investment in computer technology that can monitor patients' vital signs from their homes, relaying information to doctors. The equipment could create a new market for silicon chips made by Intel and others. In addition, Intel is working with Wal-Mart (WMT) and other major companies on an effort to digitize health records.

Obama also has promised to boost funding for basic technology research as well as make permanent the government's research and development tax credit for companies, which could benefit a variety of tech outfits that spend heavily on R&D.

Ricadela is a writer for BusinessWeek.com in Silicon Valley

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The World is Falling Apart – Which is Good for Investors

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:bt8tPjEvf_EJ:www.globe-net.com/news/index.cfm%3Ftype%3D2%26newsID%3D3715+INVESTING+IN+PUBLIC+INFRASTRUCTURE+COMPANIES+IN+2009&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us

GLOBE-Net, September 5 2008 - Investing in crumbling infrastructure - roads, bridges and tunnels - does not have the same allure as space-age clean technology, but it could prove to be more profitable. At least that is the view of a group of major investment brokers that have amassed an estimated $250 billion war chest to finance a tidal wave of infrastructure projects both in the United States and overseas.

Reeling from more exotic investments that imploded during the credit crisis, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Carlyle Group, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse are among the investors who see opportunities in helping federal, state and local governments struggling under mounting deficits to finance crumbling roads, bridges and even airports.

An International Herald Tribune article published August 27th notes that Midway Airport of Chicago could become the first to pass into the hands of private investors, while a $1.9 billion public-private partnership will finance new high-occupancy toll lanes around Washington, D.C. JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers and Carlyle Group have won a 50- to 75-year lease on a toll road along I-75 in South Florida.

Quoting the IHT article, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the United States needs to invest at least $1.6 trillion over the next five years to maintain and expand its infrastructure. Last year, the Federal Highway Administration deemed 72,000 bridges, or more than 12 percent of the nation’s total, "structurally deficient." But the funds to fix them are melting: By the end of this year, the Highway Trust Fund will have a deficit of several billion dollars.

This is not just a U.S. problem. A GLOBE-Net article published last year quoted a Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) report stating that 80% of Canada’s municipal infrastructure is past its service life and the infrastructure deficit - estimated at $12 billion in 1985 - has risen to $123 billion.

In Canada, as in the U.S., there are mixed feelings about allowing private sector access to public infrastructure. The reasons are simple; private investors recoup their money by maximizing revenue and some fear this could come at the expense of protecting the public interest. That is why Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) - a ubiquitous term for using private funds to finance public infrastructure - place such emphasis on service details designed to protect the rights of the public.

Some American pension funds see the investment opportunities associated with infrastructure and are responding accordingly. Again quoting the IHT article the California Public Employees’ Retirement System has earmarked $7 billion for infrastructure investments through 2010 and the Washington State Investment Board has allocated 5 percent of its funds to such investments. The California State Teachers’ Retirement System recently authorized up to about $800 million.

In Canada pension funds that jumped into the game early have already reaped significant rewards. The $52 billion Ontario Municipal Employee Retirement System (OMERS) saw a 12.4 percent return last year on its $5 billion infrastructure investment pool. Managed by Borealis Infrastructure, a world leader in developing infrastructure investing as an asset class for institutional investors, OMERS’s infrastructure investments have delivered solid returns, outperforming its benchmark in each of the last three years.

One innovative and so far successful effort to harness private sector capital for public infrastructure investment in Canada is Partnerships British Columbia - a company responsible for bringing together ministries, agencies and the private sector to develop projects through public-private partnerships. Registered under the Business Corporations Act as a company, Partnerships BC is wholly owned by the Province of British Columbia and reports to its shareholder the Minister of Finance. To date it is involved in 25 projects worth close to $9 billion completed, under construction or in the marketplace.

Public-private partnerships as a procurement option for the provision of infrastructure has encountered more resistance in the United States than in Canada for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are concerns by labour unions over possible job losses associated with private sector management of public assets.

Nonetheless, the movement is growing. Bernard L. Schwartz, Chairman and CEO, BLS Investments, LLC noted in his testimony before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 10, 2008 "Notwithstanding recent credit problems and bank liquidity concerns, the world is still awash in capital and long-term interest rates remain near historical low levels. In fact, there is no shortage of privately held funds to help pay for infrastructure reconstruction and development if it is undertaken in a market-sensitive manner."

"People are creating a new asset class," said Anne Valentine Andrews, head of portfolio strategy at Morgan Stanley Infrastructure, an asset class that knows no boundaries. While some public sector pension funds may feel uneasy about excessive exposure in the foreign infrastructure market, private capital sources are not so constrained and need not stay at home. There are plenty of opportunities elsewhere in the world, which is exactly what Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and others, intend to pursue.

Last month Minneapolis-based First American Funds announced the opening of its new First American Global Infrastructure Fund to individual investors. The open-end fund, which has been available to select institutional investors since 2007, is one of the first of its kind providing individual investors with the benefits of investing in equity securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. global infrastructure companies seeking to capitalize on the estimated $41 trillion required to modernize and expand the world’s infrastructure during the next 25 years - companies that operate water systems, gas and electrical distribution networks, toll roads, airports, rail systems, renewable energy sources, and outsourced government functions.

Last week Morgan Stanley announced plans to invest up to a quarter of its $4 billion global infrastructure fund in emerging economies like India. Gautam Bhandari, who on Tuesday was named as head of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure in India, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, said he saw opportunities in Indian transport, energy and telecommunications. "Not every market is ready in terms of private infrastructure investments; India is," Bhandari said in a recent interview..

"There’s a huge opportunity that the U.S. public sector is in danger of losing," says Markus Pressdee, head of infrastructure investment banking at Credit Suisse. [The U.S. public sector]..."thinks there is a boatload of capital and when it is politically convenient it will be able to take advantage of it. But the capital is going into infrastructure assets available today around the world, and not waiting for projects in the U.S. the public sector may sponsor in the future."

A 2006 Report by S&P says the global trend toward investing in infrastructure assets started in Australia and Canada with large, dedicated funds being launched in the sector by such established players as Macquarie Infrastructure Group; Babcock & Brown Ltd.; and large pension funds including the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and Borealis Infrastructure Trust on behalf of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System. Pension funds in particular are attracted to the long-life, inflation-indexed returns that ideally match the long-dated liabilities of pension funds.

[TRCPA]

Enviro-Investors.com's First Fifty (50) Directory of Green Public Companies

http://enviro-investors.com/directory.htm

[TRCPA]

Double and Triple-Profit Ideas For 2009

http://www.contrarianprofits.com/articles/double-and-triple-profit-ideas-for%202009/10409

6) If you want to play the coming Obama/worldwide economic-stimulus infrastructure bubble, you’re going to have to get in soon.

In China, that would mean jumping on low prices General Steel Holding (NYSE:GSI). I’ve known the GSI guys for five years now – even before they were public.

Actually, I took a bunch of investors over to Beijing in 2004 and introduced them to the company just two hours before it went public.

Great company… great CEO… great management (much of its top management and board are from what I affectionately refer to as Beijing’s born-again Christian mafia).

Its earnings are slated to jump out of the roof next year. At around $4, GSI is a wicked steal.

GSI is one of 2009’s potential share-price triplers.

7) If you want to stay closer to home and still play the great-infrastructure-bubble-of-2009, then take a good look at Pasadena, California-based Jacobs Engineering (NYSE:JEC). But, do it fast, because it is destined to be a newsletter darling next year.

Multifaceted, JEC provides technical, professional, and construction services to industrial, commercial, and governmental customers worldwide.

It designs and engineers manufacturing plants that make chemicals and polymers, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, oil and gas refining, food and consumer products, and basic resources industries

It also designs and engineers infrastructure projects such as highways, roads, bridges, and other transportation systems, as well as water and wastewater treatment plants, water resources facilities.

Most analysts agree that JEC should see a nice jump in earning next year. It has a tiny amount of debt, which make its 20.5% return on equity that much more impressive.

JEC has the very real potential to be one of 2009’s safest share-price doublers.

Do your own homework on Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW), Vodafone (VOD), Cosco Singapore (CSCMY)… each could have a smoking hot 2009.

That’ll do it for this week. I’ve been traveling so, I need get home to Boston and get some of that New England Christmas spirit going.

Of course, one of the season’s happiest symptoms is the fact that so many of us return to a naïve child-like state that peace on earth – even for a few weeks – seems like a noble goal.

Merry Christmas (for those among you that find such a salutation applicable).

[TRCPA]

Infrastructure Stocks
What a "Green Recovery" Stimulus Means for You

http://www.greenchipstocks.com/articles/investing-infrastructure-stocks/317

By Nick Hodge
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

It will be the biggest government infrastructure investment since the interstate highway system was launched in the 1950s.

That's not according to me. That's according to the soon-to-be leader of the Free World. And he has just a bit more inside information than I do.

And though we're both excited about the monumental spending about to flow to infrastructure projects, Barry Obama and I are excited for quite different reasons.

He likes that for every $1 billion the federal government commits to infrastructure investment, 35,000 jobs are created.

I like that every $1 billion the fed spends on infrastructure often ends up on the revenue sheets of publicly traded infrastructure companies.

He likes that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials have identified $64 billion worth of projects ready to start within 180 days.

I like the investor confidence and return to buying that will ensue as the government begins doling out hefty contracts.

He likes that all fifty states have "projects that are shovel ready."

I like the massive market opportunity that implies.

He likes the approach offered by the Center for American Progress, which recommended that the government spend $100 billion on energy efficiency, renewable energy and mass transit to promote what it calls a "green recovery."

I like that, too.

"Green Recovery"... The New New Deal

At some point, we're going to have to draw a line in the sand between what represents "green" infrastructure and what represents plain ol' infrastructure.

With so many of us now reading these pages (Green Chip Review is now over 140,000 strong), we're bound to define green infrastructure in thousands of different ways.

So I'll tell you what I told readers of my Alternative Energy Speculator (AES) the other day, as I gave them early insight into the coming infrastructure boom:

When dealing with water and infrastructure companies, we have to realize that they'll also be partaking in some not-so-green activities.

For some this is a problem. For others, it's no problem at all.

Since the original premise for AES was to also cover 'bridge technologies,' I'm going to continue making these types of recommendations. I won't, however, make a recommendation based exclusively on a company's fossil fuel exposure.

If your green criteria is more stringent than this, you'll have to make a personal decision as to whether or not to invest.

With that out of the way, you need to be aware of the monolithic wealth-building opportunity this presents.

You see, the President-elect has made it very clear that he wants a new stimulus package ready to sign when he takes office early next year.

So Congress has been busy—when they're not dealing with the Big Three—crafting that new piece of legislation.

And though the final total hasn't been decided, congressional leaders have been talking about a program in the range of $500 billion that would focus mostly on new infrastructure projects, or what is likely to become known as the "Green Recovery"—a new name for a new new deal.

A $500 Billion Infrastructure Stimulus & Your Portfolio

Remember what happened when the financial bailout was passed?

There were days when financial institutions, like Citi, AIG, and Barclays, thought to be on the brink of disaster, saw 50% or more increases in their stock value.

If you're like me, you remember sitting on the sidelines wishing you had a piece of that action.

Well, this new infrastructure stimulus is going to create the same investing environment, only on a much grander scale.

That's because the financial institutions were bailed out because they were in dire economic straits.

Not so with the infrastructure stimulus. It is being passed to create jobs and bolster the broader economy, not to bail out companies that made bad decisions.

What's more, the companies that will be receiving the bulk of the $500 billion aren't in bad shape to begin with. So any new spending will certainly drive up stock prices in a big way.

In fact, since talk of this "Green Recovery" began, several of the likely beneficiaries have already started to climb.

Check it out:



As you can see, some of those stocks are up 20%, 30%, and more, just in the last few days.

Imagine what will happen during several months of sustained and heavy green infrastructure spending.

I have dozens more companies like this. Each stands to deliver hefty gains to the savvy investors who place their bets before this event really gets under way.

In fact, I've already positioned the thousands of readers of my Alternative Energy Speculator in a few of them.

But there is much more to come. And I want you to join us.

In the two months leading up to the inauguration, and for several months after, a wave of momentum will be firmly behind infrastructure stocks.

Some of that momentum will stem from the pending $500 billion stimulus. And will continue once that money starts being spent.

The incoming administration is firmly behind a new approach to economic healing. And it's rooted in green technology and infrastructure.

This presents us, as green investors, an unheard-of chance for profit. I want to guide you throughout this opportunity to ensure you maximize the earnings potential.

I'll tell you which companies will benefit, when to buy and sell them, and at what price.

It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel.

The market has been tough, and a lot of money has been lost. But this is an easy chance at redemption, especially for green investors.

Join the Alternative Energy Speculator today, and enjoy all the easy profits the coming infrastructure boom has to offer. You'll even get a copy of the Green Chip team's new book.

Call it like you see it,

[TRCPA]

Obama's Stimulus Proposal Lifts Infrastructure Stocks

http://www.cnbc.com/id/28112475

nc | Granite Construction Inc | Microsoft Corp | Caterpillar IncBy: Jeff Cox | 08 Dec 2008 | 02:50 PM ET Text Size With President-elect Barack Obama pledging to rebuild the economy from the inside out, infrastructure companies stand to reap a substantial bonanza.

Obama has promised a program not seen in half a century to shore up the national highway system, erect public buildings and reconstruct the nation from top to bottom.

A $136 billion infrastructure component is the keystone of a potentially $1 trillion Obama economic stimulus plan that moves beyond providing one-time rebate checks to taxpayers and escalates into generating employment and business opportunities for struggling companies.

Though he does not take office for more than a month, Obama's intentions already have had an impact.

Stocks surged Monday on the stimulus hopes, with big winners ranging from Dow component and construction equipment leader Caterpillar [CAT 42.69 --- UNCH (0) ] to a slate of Brazilian steel makers. Engineering firms also were big winners, while oil and mining shares helped boost foreign markets even before the Wall Street open.

"I applaud the president-elect. This is the right category of stimulus that the country needs," says Tom Busby, CEO at Day Trading Institute in Mobile, Ala. "I see benefits from this not only domestically but globally, so I think this is the right song to play."

A group of industries as diverse as builders to internet companies could benefit from the focus on rebuilding the national infrastructure, the focus of which will be both on construction and communication.

But while there's plenty of enthusiasm now, market experts are warning a cautious approach in which investors should nibble their way in and wait to see if Obama's plans will be realized under the economic constraints his administration will face.

"One of the things you have to consider is when fast money charts start chasing a stock or a group, the stocks go too far too fast," says Richard Sparks, senior analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research in Cincinnati. "It's only with a little caution that I would say wade in. The market has been extremely volatile."

Where to Play

While Caterpillar has been one of the names most often mentioned to gain from the infrastructure focus, Sparks likes some of the smaller companies in the field.

Monday's surge brought some companies to near 52-week highs, and Sparks backs Granite Construction [GVA 39.71 --- UNCH (0) ] among them. The Watsonville, Calif.-based civil contracting business has doubled in share price over the past six weeks and is poised for greater gains.

Other stocks Sparks is watching include Sterling Construction [STRL 17.97 --- UNCH (0) ], which also has doubled since Nov. 21, and Aecom Technology [ACM 29.20 --- UNCH (0) ], which provides technical and managerial services to companies around the world and was trading in the $15 range as recently as late October.

In line with the technology theme, Busby believes Microsoft [MSFT 19.12 --- UNCH (0) ] could be in an advantageous position not only because of the infrastructure play but also because of the close relationship between Obama and Microsoft leader Bill Gates.

And Busby also is playing Northrop Grumman [NOC 42.44 --- UNCH (0) ], which is barely off its 52-week low but in a position, he says, to rebound because of the increased demand for engineering services.

But Busby also is an advocate of careful investing in the group.

He advises taking an initial step on Jan. 2 as the new year begins, then waiting 15 days to see if the position improves. At that point he would invest more, then wait until the end of the month to calibrate gains again. If the group is higher Busby advocates making a stronger move, but if the group falls he advises taking some off the table.

"Remember this economy is a big Mama, and you don't get a big Mama excited until you see big results," Busby says. "You want to go small until you've seen actual stocks tell you you've made good decisions before you commit."

A slew of other companies were rolling through Monday's gains on the infrastructure play.

Busby also thinks green companies are likely to do well next year, but he advocates a stock-picker's approach rather than betting on entire sectors.

"I think you've got to be nimble. It doesn't happen overnight," he says. "I'd be very careful."