Naz News, Gappers and FLE's

[mcmike]

Wind Energy plays

a friend asked me about the sector...

http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=30219484 this is my original DD link on the new ETF for wind energy which is remarkable for its focus on the global leaders
It has declined steadily since inception.

a 2nd etf that i haven't looked at began trading in July: PWND
http://seekingalpha.com/article/83421-look-what-s-blowin-in-the-new-wind-etfs
http://seekingalpha.com/article/90017-the-year-ahead-for-us-wind

this last article discusses the subsidy situation. last time we spoke you were musing about carbon credits.
getting gov't gooses to spur alternative energy deployments might be the key to timely investing.
this article also discusses how PWND has more focus on pure plays then FAN. e.g. both Siemens and GE are big players in wind energy, but both are multinationals and wind systems are a very small piece of their revs. FPL is a very large player in wind energy in the U.S. but they are a Florida-based utility and i don't know what % of their revs or earnings come from wind.

this link compares the 2 etfs:
http://www.checkthemarkets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=721&Itemid=98

Most of the "engines" here in the midwest seem to use Vestas Systems. I was in Iowa last week. FPL has a very large windfarm north of Mason City IA [powered by Vestas systems i think.
here's a great article on the history of Vestas:
http://www.iwoe.unisg.ch/org/iwo/web.nsf/SysWebRessources/Wue_vestaspaper_03-07-09/$FILE/Vestas_Paper_final.pdf
note how they went bankrupt when subsidies dried up 20 years ago.

Towers and blades are getting bigger. I am not sure who are the beneficiaries here. ZOLT is a carbon fiber company and may get their act together for wind energy:
http://www.zoltek.com/aboutus/news/45/
They are supposed to have Gamesa and Vestas as customers. it's lost 2/3 of it's value in the last year.

American Superconductor (AMSC) is a $1.5 billion company that makes electronic converters and superconductors for wind turbines. The burgeoning Chinese wind power industry is already hooked on their products. Quarterly revenue growth is 101%. As the price of oil goes up, more countries (including America) will be monetizing wind.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/87293-five-american-innovators-to-buy-during-the-current-downturn
if you want a little company you might check out this link

http://seekingalpha.com/article/40840-12-wind-powered-stocks-for-your-portfolio

Cramer has been talking wind since the late spring:

http://www.stockpickr.com/problog/844/

this is more than enough to whet your appetite i'm sure. let me know if something you find really strikes your fancy