Energy Portfolios: 3 Years, 10 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 130%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 26%

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On Dec. 21, 2012, I imagined $16 Million dollars in equal investments in 16 real energy companies; eight Sustainable Energy companies and eight Fossil Fuel companies. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space,

As of the close of trading on October 21, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio had a good month, up $399,427, or 7.24$ since Sept, 21, 2016, it is down 26% overall, and 6.8% on an annualized basis, from $8.0 Million to $5.9 Million,
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is up 130.0% overall and 33.9% on an annualized basis, from $8 Million to $18.4 Million.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 38.6% overall and 10.1% on an annualized basis from 13.091 to 18,146.
  • The S&P 500 is up 49.7% overall and 12.97% on an annualized basis, from 1,430 to 2,141.
  • The NASDAQ is up 74.0% overall and 19.44% on an annualized basis, from 3,021 to 5257.

Continue reading →

3 Years, 9 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 134%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 31%

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On Dec. 21, 2012, I imagined $16 Million dollars in equal investments in 16 real energy companies; eight Sustainable Energy companies and eight fossil fuel companies. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space.

As of the close of trading on September 21, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio went from $8.0 Million to $5.52 Million, down 31.05% overall, down 8.3% on an annualized basis.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio went from $8 Million to $18.7 Million, up 133.5% overall and 35.6% on an annualized basis.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from 13.091 on 12/21/12 to 18,294, up 39.7%, overall and 10.6% on an annualized basis
  • The S&P 500 went from 1,430 on 12/21/12 to close at 2,165, up 51.3% overall and 13.7% on an annualized basis.

The Sustainable Energy portfolio is composed of Cree (CREE) and Lighting Sciences (LSCG) in the LED space, GT Advanced Tech (GTAT), which at the time made solar ovens for cooking PV wafers. First Solar (FSLR) and Sunpower Corp. (SPWR) in the solar space, Vestas (VWSYF), a wind company, Solazyme (SZYM) a biofuel company and Next Era Energy (NEE), a utility.

The fossil fuel companies are the oil companies British Petroleum (BP), Chevron Texaco (CVX), Conoco Phillips (COP), Exxon Mobil (XOM) and RD Shell (RDS.A), the coal company Peabody Coal (BTU), and Haliburton (HAL) and Transocean (RIG), companies in the offshore oil and oil and gas drilling service industries.

The data are summarized beginning in Table 1, below.

Summary Data
Portfolio 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta % Annualized
Sustainable Energy 8,000,000 18,681,471 10,681,471 133.52% 35.60%
Fossil Fuel 8,000,000 5,515,027 -2,484,973 -31.06% -8.28%
DJI 13,091 18,294 5,203 39.74% 10.60%
S&P 500 1,430 2,163 733 51.26% 13.67%
Table 1

The stock price data for the Sustainable Energy portfolio are in Table 2, below.

Sustainable Energy Portfolio – Stock Prices
Item Company Symbol 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 Cree CREE 34.0 24.6 -9.42 -27.71%
2 First Solar FSLR 31.0 34.1 3.07 9.90%
3 GT Adv. Tech. GTAT 3.0 0.0 -2.98 -99.28%
4 Lighting Science LSCG 0.8 0.1 -0.67 -89.33%
5 Next Era Energy NEE 70.0 127.8 57.84 82.63%
6 Sun Power SPWR 5.4 8.1 2.62 48.25%
7 Solazyme SZYM 8.3 2.2 -6.19 -74.22%
8 Vestas VWS 6.3 83.2 76.85 1217.91%
Note that GTAT is currently in bankruptcy protection.
Table 2

The stock price data for the Fossil Fuel Portfolio are in Table 3, below.

Fossil Fuel Portfolio – Stock Prices
Item Company Symbol 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 BP BP 42.1 33.6 -8.51 -20.20%
2 Chevron Texaco CVX 109.7 99.6 -10.08 -9.19%
3 Conoco Philips COP 58.6 40.1 -18.54 -31.64%
4 Exxon Mobil XOM 87.2 83.3 -3.93 -4.51%
5 Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A 69.3 48.0 -21.30 -30.74%
6 Haliburton HAL 34.7 42.7 8.02 23.11%
7 Transocean RIG 45.6 9.1 -36.51 -80.00%
8 Peabody Coal BTU 395.3 1.6 -393.67 -99.60%
Table 3

The valuation data for the Sustainable Energy Portfolio are in Table 4, below.

Sustainable Energy Portfolio – Valuation
    Value Delta
Item Company Symbol 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 Cree CREE 1,000 723 -277 -27.71%
2 First Solar FSLR 1,000 1,099 99 9.90%
3 GT Adv. Tech. GTAT 1,000 7 -993 -99.28%
4 Lighting Science LSCG 1,000 107 -893 -89.33%
5 Next Era Energy NEE 1,000 1,826 826 82.63%
6 Sun Power SPWR 1,000 1,483 483 48.25%
7 Solazyme SZYM 1,000 258 -742 -74.22%
8 Vestas VWS 1,000 13,179 12,179 1217.91%
total 8,000 18,681 10,681 133.52%
Values in thousands.
Table 4

The valuation data for the Fossil Fuel Portfolio are in Table 5, below.

Fossil Fuel Portfolio – Valuations
Value Delta
Item Company Symbol 12/21/12 09/21/16 Amount Per Cent
1 BP BP 1,000 798 -202 -20.20%
2 Chevron Texaco CVX 1,000 908 -92 -9.19%
3 Conoco Philips COP 1,000 684 -316 -31.64%
4 Exxon Mobil XOM 1,000 955 -45 -4.51%
5 Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A 1,000 693 -307 -30.74%
6 Haliburton HAL 1,000 1,231 231 23.11%
7 Transocean RIG 1,000 200 -800 -80.00%
8 Peabody Coal BTU 1,000 4 -996 -99.59%
total 8,000 5,472 -2528 -31.60%
Values in thousands.
Table 5

The market capitalization data for the Sustainable Energy Portfolio are in Table 6.

Sustainable Energy Portfolio
Market Capitalization (Billions)
Item Company 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 Cree 3.90 2.54 -1.36 -34.87%
2 First Solar 2.69 3.52 0.83 30.86%
3 GT Adv. Tech. 0.36 0.00 -0.353 -98.88%
4 Lighting Science 0.15 0.00 -0.153 -100.00%
5 Next Era Energy 29.60 60.67 31.07 104.97%
6 Sun Power 0.88 1.13 0.2521 28.72%
7 Solazyme 0.52 0.18 -0.3357 -64.72%
8 Vestas 1.48 18.42 16.94 1144.59%
total 39.58 86.467 46.8904 118.48%
Table 6

The market capitalization data for the Fossil Fuel Portfolio are in Table 7.

Fossil Fuel Portfolio – Market Capitalization
Market Capitalization (Billions)
Item Company 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 BP 133.8 108.75 -25.05 -18.72%
2 Chevron Texaco 214.7 192.42 -22.28 -10.38%
3 Conoco Philips 71.2 52.04 -19.16 -26.91%
4 Exxon Mobil 397.7 349.48 -48.22 -12.12%
5 Royal Dutch Shell 216.8 204.67 -12.13 -5.60%
6 Haliburton 32.2 38.22 6.02 18.70%
7 Transocean 16.4 3.61 -12.79 -77.99%
8 Peabody Coal 6.37 0.03 -6.342 -99.56%
total 1089.2 949.22 -139.952 -12.85%
Table 7

The market capitalization data for the Big Oil portion of the Fossil Fuel Portfolio are in Table 8.

Big Oil Portfolio – Market Capitalization
Market Capitalization (Billions)
Item Company 12/21/12 09/21/16 Delta Delta %
1 BP 133.8 108.8 -25.05 -18.72%
2 Chevron Texaco 214.7 192.4 -22.28 -10.38%
3 Conoco Philips 71.2 52.0 -19.16 -26.91%
4 Exxon Mobil 397.7 349.5 -48.22 -12.12%
5 Royal Dutch Shell 216.8 204.7 -12.13 -5.60%
total 1034.2 907.4 -126.84 -12.26%
Table 8

–

  1. L. Furman, 12/21/12, Popular Logistics Sustainable Energy Portfolio
  2. L. Furman, 2/8/13, Nega-Watts, Nega-Fuel-Watts, Mega-Bucks
  3. L. Furman, 2/9/13, Gold Bricks and Sink-Holes – The Risk & Reward of Fossil Fuel, Solar & Wind
  4. L. Furman, 3/2/13, Sustainable Energy Portfolio UP 16% & Fossil Fuel Portfolio Up 1.7% – Since Dec.21, 2012
  5. L. Furman, 3/23/13, Portfolio Simulation At 3 Months: Sustainable Energy: Up 22%. Fossil Fuels: 3%
  6. L. Furman, 4/26/13, Earth Day, 2013. Oil Spills, Explosions, Fracking Business As Usual & The Stock Market Response
  7. L. Furman, 5/13/13, Popular Logistics Energy Portfolios: The Trend Continues.
  8. L. Furman, 6/24/13, Popular Logistics Energy Portfolios: At 6 months
  9. L. Furman, 7/22/13, Popular Logistics Energy Portfolios: Sustainable Energy Doubles. Fossil Fuels increase 5.4%
  10. L. Furman, 8/22/13, Popular Logistics Energy Portfolios: An Exercise in Climate Capitalism
  11. L. Furman, 9/20/13, Energy Portfolios – Investing for the Future
  12. L. Furman, 10/21/13, Sustainable Investing – Green Energy, Green Economy
  13. L. Furman, 11/22/13, Energy Portfolios: Minor Corrections, Overall Results In Line With the Trend
  14. L. Furman, 12/23/13, Energy Portfolios at One Year Sustainable Energy up 140%. Fossil Fuels up 9.85%
  15. L. Furman, 12/26/13, Energy Portfolios and Reference Indices, 2013 Summary.
  16. L. Furman, 1/22/14, Energy Portfolios: 13 Months, Sustainable Energy up 167.4%, Fossil Fuels up 9.44%
  17. L. Furman, 2/24/14, Energy Portfolios: 14 Months: Sustainable Energy up 184.4%, Fossil Fuels up 8.7%
  18. L. Furman, 3/23/14, Energy Portfolios: 15 Months: Sustainable Energy up 222.6, Fossil Fuel up 7.3%
  19. L. Furman, 4/22/14, Energy Portfolios, 16 Months: Sustainable Energy up 204.25%, Fossil Fuel up 15.38%
  20. L. Furman, 5/21/14, Energy Portfolios, 17 Months: Sustainable Energy up 211.6%, Fossil Fuels up 18.5%
  21. L. Furman, 6/24/14, Energy Portfolios, 18 Months: Sustainable Energy up 257%, Fossil Fuels up 24.6%
  22. L. Furman, 6/26/14, Energy Portfolios: 18 Months, Analysis
  23. L. Furman, 7/22/14, Energy Portfolios: 19 Months: Sustainable Energy up 222%, Fossil Fuels up 25%
  24. L. Furman, 8/23/14, Energy Portfolios: 20 Months: Sustainable Energy up 229%, Fossil Fuels up 18.4%
  25. L. Furman, 8/29 /14, Energy Portfolios: 20 Months: Conclusion & Observations
  26. L. Furman, 10/1/14, The Paradigm Is Shifting; Fossil Fuels Are Becoming Fossils
  27. L. Furman, 10/7/14, Cree: Strong Financials, But … 
  28. L. Furman, 10/21/14, Energy Portfolios: 22 Months: Sustainable Energy Up But Dropping.
  29. L. Furman, 11/27/14, Energy Portfolios: 23 Months: Sustainable Energy DOUBLED, Fossil Fuel Down (slightly).
  30. L. Furman, 12/28/14, Energy Portfolios: 24 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 91%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 10%.
  31. L. Furman, 1/27/15, Energy Portfolios: 2 Years, 1 Month, Sustainable Up 85%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 15%
  32. L. Furman, 2/23/15, Energy Portfolios: 2 Years, 2 Months, Sustainable Up 109%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 12%.
  33. L. Furman, 3/21,15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 3 Months: Sustainable up 128%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 16%.
  34. L. Furman, 4/21/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 4 Months: Sustainable up 138%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 12%.
  35. L. Furman, 5/21/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 5 Months: Sustainable up 137%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 13.7%.
  36. L. Furman, 6/21/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 6 Months: Sustainable up 128%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 18%.
  37. L. Furman, 7/23/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 7 Months: Sustainable up 121%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 24%.
  38. L. Furman, 8/22/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 8 Months: Sustainable up 102%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 34.3%.
  39. L. Furman, 8/26/15, Energy Portfolios and “The Correction“.
  40. L. Furman, 10/1/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 9 Months: Sustainable up 111.3%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 33.5%.
  41. L. Furman, 10/22/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 10 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 125%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 27%.
  42. L. Furman, 11/23/15, Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 11 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 129%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 29.6%.
  43. L. Furman, 12/22/15, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years: Sustainable Energy up 166.6%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 36.2%
  44. L. Furman, 1/26/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 1 Month: Sustainable Energy UP 135.6%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 42.8%.
  45. L. Furman, 2/22/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 2 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 139.5%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 40.7%.
  46. L. Furman, 3/24/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 3 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 159.7%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 33.2%.
  47. L. Furman, 4/22/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 4 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 139%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 29.3%.
  48. L. Furman, 5/22/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 5 Months, Sustainable Energy Up 122%, Fossil Fuels Down 30%.
  49. L. Furman, 8/20/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 6 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 139%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 29.3%.
  50. L. Furman, 8/20/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 7 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 125%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 26%.
  51. L. Furman, 8/22/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 8 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 138%, Fossil Fuels DOWN 27%.
  52. L. Furman, 9/26/16, Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 9 Months, Sustainable Energy up 133.5%, Fossil Fuels Down 31%.

–

A co-founder of Popular Logistics, I hold a BS and an MBA in “Managing for Sustainability” from Marlboro College, and over 20 years experience in Information Technology. Available as a speaker and consultant, I can be reached at “Popular Logistics . com” as “L Furman.”

3 Years, 8 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 138%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 27%

PLPort.1608

On Dec. 21, 2012, I imagined $16 Million dollars in equal investments in 16 real energy companies; eight Sustainable Energy companies and eight fossil fuel companies. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space and a coal company, at the close of trading on August 19, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio went from $8.0 Million to $5.85 Million, down 25.85% overall, down 7.3% on an annualized basis.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio went from $8 Million to $19.1 Million, up 138.414%, overall and 37.75% on an annualized basis.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 41.72% overall and 11.38% on an annualized basis, went from 13.091 on 12/21/12 to 18,553 on 8/21/16.
  • The S&P 500 is up 52.73% overall and 14.38% on an annualized basis, from 1,430 on 12/21/12 to close at 2,165 on 8/21/16.

Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios: 3 Years, 7 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 125.2%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 25.98%

PLPort.1607 On Dec. 21, 2012, I imagined $16 Million dollars in equal investments in 16 real energy companies; eight Sustainable Energy companies and eight fossil fuel companies. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space.

As of the close of trading on July 21, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio went from $8.0 Million to $5.94 Million, down 25.63% overall, down 7.2% on an annualized basis.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio went from $8 Million to $17.98 Million, up 124.764%, overall and 34.8% on an annualized basis.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 41.45% overall and 11.57% on an annualized basis, went from 13.091 on 12/21/12 to 18,517 on 7/21/16.
  • The S&P 500 is up 51.4% overall and 14.3% on an annualized basis, from 1,430 on 12/21/12 to close at 2,165 on 7/21/16.

Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios: 3 Years, 6 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 125.2%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 25.98%

PLPort.1606

On Dec. 21, 2012, I imagined $16 Million dollars in equal investments in 16 real energy companies; $1.0 M in each company in each of eight companies in the Sustainable Energy space and $1.0 M each of eight companies in the fossil fuel space. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of various companies in the sustainable energy space and coal industry.

As of the close of trading on June 21, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio went from $8.0 Million to $5.92 Million, down 25.98% overall, and 7.4% on an annualized basis.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio went from $8 Million to $18.019 Million, up 125.24%, overall and 35.8% on an annualized basis.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 36.2% overall and 10.3% on an annualized basis, went from 13.091 on 12/21/12 to 17,501 on 6/21/16.
  • The S&P 500 is up 446.08% overall and 13.2% on an annualized basis, from 1,430 on 12/21/12 to close at 2089 on 6/21/16.

Continue reading →

The Spectacular Failure of the Kemper Coal Carbon Sequestration Plant

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Kemper Coal & Natural Gas Facility, photo courtesy Mississippi Power Co.

The Kemper coal and natural gas facility is a 582 MW electric power plant that was supposed to cost $2.2 Billion and open in May, 2014. It hasn’t opened yet, and is now projected to cost $6.6 Billion, triple the original budget. According to Power Mag, here,

The most recent filing pushes the bill to $6.66 billion. The plant was originally estimated to cost $2.2 billion in 2004, but costs began spiraling out of control almost immediately, especially once construction began in 2010 and the company discovered that many of the original designs needed major changes. Those problems appear to be continuing, as Mississippi Power said the April 1 update is “related to operational readiness and challenges in start-up and commissioning activities which includes the cost of repairs and modification to the refractory lining inside the gasifiers.”

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Floods, Oil, Climate Change

Image of Louis Marquez carries his dog, Dallas, through floodwaters after rescuing the dog from his flooded apartment Tuesday in Houston. A FedEx van is in water up to middle of the headlights (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Louis Marquez carries his dog, Dallas, through floodwaters after rescuing the dog from his flooded apartment Tuesday in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In the spring of this year, the news media reported floods in Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Australia and elsewhere.

  • 9 US soldiers were lost in floods around Fort Hood in Texas.
  • Other Americans have died in the flooding in Oklahoma.
  • The Louve and Orsay museums in Paris are closed and moving priceless art to higher ground to protect it from the floods.

What’s going on?

Elementary chemistry. Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 5 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 122.2%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 30.26%

 

On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $8.0 in the Sustainable Energy space and $8.0 in the fossil fuel space. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space, and Peabody Coal.

As of the close of trading on May 20, 2016:

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio went from $8.0 Million to $5.53 Million, down 30.8% overall, down 8.9% on an annualized basis.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio went from $8 Million to $17.778 Million, up 122.22%, overall and 35.774% on an annualized basis.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 33.69% overall and 9.86% on an annualized basis, went from 13.091 on 12/21/12 to 17,501 on 5/21/16.
  • The S&P 500 is up 43.52% overall and 12.74% on an annualized basis, from 1,430 on 12/21/12 to close at 2051 on 1/21/16.

Continue reading →

Canada’s Oil Industry Going Up In Smoke

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Fort McMurray, Alberta Canada. The tar sands boom is going down in flames; going up in smoke. The fire, which started May 1, 2016, has burned 156,000 hectares, which is 15.6 million acres, 602 square miles or 1,560 square kilometers.

As is evident in the image the flames are taller than the trees.  Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 4 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 139%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 29.3%

PL_Port.40On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $8.0 in the Sustainable Energy space and $8.0 in the fossil fuel space. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space, and one company in the fossil fuel space.

The big news this month is the bankruptcy filing of Peabody Coal (Bloomberg, here). Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 3 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 159.7%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 33.2%

PLPort.1603

On Dec. 21, 2012, drying off from Sandy, after the lights came back on, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $1.0 Million in each of eight companies in the Sustainable Energy space and another $1.0 in each of eight companies in the fossil fuel space. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space,

Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 2 Months: Sustainable Energy Up 139.5%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 40.7%

PLPort.1602

On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $8.0 in the Sustainable Energy space and $8.0 in the fossil fuel space. Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs, but including the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space …

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Drilling for Oil off the Jersey Shore – Forget About It

Oil_ProfitsDeepwater Drilling Offshore of the US yields oil at $57 per barrel (see note 1) and, according to Forbes, the Break-Even price is $65 per barrel. It makes no sense to drill deepwater wells offshore of the US with WTI crude oil under $35 per barrel And given that the costs to produce a barrel of oil in the Middle East, range from $8.50 in Kuwait to $9.90 in Saudi Arabia, to $12.60 in Iran WE CAN’T COMPETE!

But we shouldn’t bother. We should move to a post fossil fuel economy.

Continue reading →

BEIJING, CHINA - JANUARY 23: A tourist and her daughter wearing the masks visit the Tiananmen Square at dangerous levels of air pollution on January 23, 2013 in Beijing, China. The air quality in Beijing on Wednesday hit serious levels again, as smog blanketed the city. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

BEIJING, CHINA – Tiananmen Square, January 23, 2013 (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

Forbes, here, and reports that China is building a  200 MW solar farm in the Gobi Desert (Clean Technica, here, IFL Science, here.

However, Chinese authorities plan for carbon emissions to peak in 2030 – that is to keep increasing until 2030.  Bellona, here, reported that Chinese authorities plan to increase renewables to 20% by 2030. This will include 200 GW of Wind, 100 GW of Solar. The plan is also to increase burning of Natural Gas to 10% of their electricity capacity, and to focus on coal with carbon capture. (Apparently the Chinese authorities don’t seem to realize how much carbon sequestration really costs. It is, as they say in New England, “wicked expensive.”)

Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios, 3 Years, 1 Month: Sustainable Energy Up 135.6, Fossil Fuel DOWN 42.8%

PLPort.1601Wall St. 1/21/16. On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $8.0 in the Sustainable Energy space and $8.0 in the fossil fuel space.

Today it is worth an imaginary $23.48 Million because while the Fossil Fuel portfolio dropped 42.8% of it’s total value, the Sustainable Energy portfolio increased 135.6%.

This excludes the value of dividends and transaction costs, but includes the bankruptcy or crash of three companies in the sustainable energy space.

This month’s post was delayed due to preparations for and digging out from Blizzard Jonas.

Continue reading →