Author Archives: L J Furman, MBA

About L J Furman, MBA

Analyst here and Director of Information Technology with an MBA in Managing for Sustainability.

Energy Portfolios, 2 years 4 Months: Sustainable Energy up 138%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 12%

PLPort.2015.4.21

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,

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio is now worth $7.0 Million, down 12.1%.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is now worth $19.0 Million, up 138.1%.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 37.1%, from 13,091 to 17,950.
  • The S&P 500 is up 46.6%, from 1,430 to 2,097.

The conclusion appears to be that sustainable energy is as good for the portfolio as it is for the planet.

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Energy Portfolios, 2 Years 3 Months: Sustainable Energy: UP 128%, Fossil Fuels: DOWN 16%

PLPort.2015.3.21

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. The pattern, clear by March, 2013, is the Sustainable Energy Space is outperforming and the Fossil Fuel space is underperforming the indices.

Excluding the value of dividends and transaction costs,

  • The Fossil Fuel portfolio is now worth $6.7 Million, down 16.07%.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is now worth $18.2 Million, up 127.62%.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 38.47%, from 13,091 on 12/21/12 to 18,209 on 3/20/15
  • The S&P 500 is up 47.42%, from 1,430 to 2,108.

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Energy Portfolios, 2 years 2 Months: Sustainable Energy up 109%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 11.8%

PopLogPort.150221
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,

  • Fossil Fuel portfolio: from $8.0 M to $7.06 Million, down 11.76%.
  • Sustainable Energy portfolio: from $8.0 M to $16.73 Million, up 109.18%.
  • Dow Jones Industrial Average: from 13,091 to 18,140, up 34.15 %,
  • The S&P 500: from 1,430 to 2,110,  up 42.10%.

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If Not Vaccines, What Triggers Autism?

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, 1943

Humphrey Bogart as Rick and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa in Casablanca, 1942

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine” – “Casablanca.

Once rare, the incidence of Autism has increased exponentially from less than 0.02% of boys to 2.38%.

Before the MMR Vaccine: 400 to 500 died each year as Millions contracted the disease. Due to widespread administration of the vaccine, the incidence of Measles dropped to 37 reported cases in 2004.  But because people believe (falsely) that the MMR vaccine triggers Autism, they stopped immunizing their children. There were 644 cases of Measles in 2014.

If the MMR Vaccine does not trigger Autism, what does?  Glyphosate? Possibly. And what’s Glyphosate? The active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup.

This is a story of unintended consequences.

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Energy Portfolios, 2 years 1 Month: Sustainable Energy up 85%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 14.6%

PLPort.2015.1.21

On Dec. 21, 2012, drying off from Hurricane Sandy, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; Eight in the Sustainable Energy space and eight in the fossil fuel space.

  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 34.15 % from 12/21/12 to 1/21/15
  • The S&P 500 is up 42.10%.
  • The Fossil Fuel Portfolio has dropped 14.55%.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is up 85.09%.

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Energy Portfolios, 24 Months: Sustainable Energy up 91%, Fossil Fuel DOWN 10%

PLEP_M24On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; Eight in the Sustainable Energy spaces and eight in the fossil fuels spaces. The results:

  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 36.2 % from 12/21/12 to 12/19/14.
  • The S&P 500 is up 44.8% from 12/21/12.
  • The Fossil Fuel Portfolio has dropped 10.00%.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is up 91.34% from Dec. 21, 2012 but down from August, 2014.

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The War on Coal or War for our Grandchildren and our Biosphere?

Earth from Space. Courtesy NASA & the American Taxpayer

Earth from Space. Courtesy NASA & the American Taxpayer

Coral Davenport, in the New York Times, writes (here),

“President Obama could leave office with the most aggressive, far-reaching environmental legacy of any occupant of the White House. Yet it is very possible that not a single major environmental law will have passed during his two terms in Washington.

“Instead, Mr. Obama has turned to the vast reach of the Clean Air Act of 1970, which some legal experts call the most powerful environmental law in the world. Faced with a Congress that has shut down his attempts to push through an environmental agenda, Mr. Obama is using the authority of the act passed at the birth of the environmental movement to issue a series of landmark regulations on air pollution, from soot to smog, to mercury and planet-warming carbon dioxide.”

The coal industry skels from both parties consider this a “War on Coal.” Environmentalists could argue that it is a war for our grandchildren, a war for the biosphere, and even a war for a competitive 21st Century economy. Political hyperbole aside, it seems that any “War on Coal” is being waged by the methane and fracking industries, OPEC, and the “Invisible Hand” of the marketplace, not the President of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.

Energy Portfolios, 23 Months: Sustainable Energy DOUBLED, Fossil Fuels DOWN (slightly)

PLPort.2014.11.21On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; Eight in the Sustainable Energy space and eight in the fossil fuel space. At the close of trading, Nov. 21, 2014, that would be worth $24.3 Million and all of the increase is in the sustainable energy portfolio.

  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 36.05 % from 12/21/12 to 11/21/14.
  • The S&P 500 is up 44.34% from 12/21/12.
  • The Fossil Fuel Portfolio has DROPPED 0.02%.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is up 105.99% from Dec. 21, 2012 but down from August, 2014.

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Energy Portfolios: 22 Months: Sustainable Energy Up But Dropping

PLPort.2014.10.21

On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; Eight in the Sustainable Energy space and eight in the fossil fuel space. Between December 21, 2012 and October 21, 2014

By 10/15/14, GT Advanced Tech had filed for bankruptcy protection, and other stocks in the portfolio dropped to points near their Dec. 2012. The portfolio as a whole dropped 55% from Sept. 19, 2014. Stay tuned, and keep your seat belt on. Continue reading →

Ft. Calhoun Plant – Reopened After 2 Years, 8 Months and Over $970 Million

Fort Calhoun plant, seen from above.

Ft Calhoun Plant – Arial View

The Fort Calhoun nuclear plant reopened in December, 2013. The plant, on the west bank of the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska, closed for refueling in April, 2011, and was flooded in June, 2011. Refueling a nuclear plant typically takes about 6 – 12 weeks. Due to the flooding, the Fort Calhoun plant was closed for 970 days, from April, 2011 until December, 2013. (NY Times / Associated Press, here). Back in June, 2011, the cost estimate by David Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientists, was roughly $970 Million in lost revenue, plus the costs of repairs. Continue reading →

Energy Portfolios – Simple Analysis re the Fossil Fuel Portfolio

The Deepwater Horizon Spill

The Deepwater Horizon Spill

“You can’t have oil without oil spills.” – Markwayne Mullin, R, Oklahoma. (Official / GovTrack)

Wind and Sun Won’t Spill

In a period when the Dow Industrials rose 30%, the S&P 500 rose 40%, and the Popular Logistics “Sustainable Energy Portfolio” rose 223%, the “Fossil Fuel Portfolio” rose 21%.

This suggests that a paradigm shift is underway in the energy industry.

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Energy Portfolios: 20 Months: Conclusions & Observations

PL_Port_1408Conclusions:

  1. The performance of most of the companies in these portfolios supports the hypothesis that a paradigm shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy systems is underway.
  2. Investing in an index fund may have been more lucrative – and less stressful – than investing in the Fossil Fuel portfolio.
  3. Investing in paradigm shifting technology, i.e., First Solar, Sunpower, GT Advanced Technology and Vestas may be very lucrative.
  4. A diversified portfolio in paradigm shifting technology may also be effective. The “home runs” will more than make up for the “strike-outs.”
  5. Investing in a well-run, or well-connected, company, i.e., Haliburton, in a declining industry may also be lucrative.

Observations:

  1. The long term trend appears to be that investments in Sustainable Energy are likely to pay off in the long term and also, probably, the short term.
  2. Investments in Fossil Fuels, however do not appear likely to appreciate in the near future, even in a “Bull Market,” such as we appear to be in.  However, a speculator, i.e., a gambler, may be able to play various fossil fuel stocks, buying at lows and selling at highs. While I am not an investment professional, I personally, don’t know if this is worth the risk. I prefer to do my gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey and Las Vegas, Nevada.
  3. When considered against the backdrop of global geopolitics, i.e., Russia, which exports oil and methane, invading Ukraine, ISIS in Iraq and Syria threatening to take over Iraqi oil operations, other turmoil in the Middle East, a paradigm shift away from fossil fuels seems likely to insulate energy flows from remote geopolitical events and strengthen economies that have executed this paradigm shift. Therefore, investments supporting such a paradigm shift may do well, while investments supporting the existing paradigm may not.

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Energy Portfolios, 20 Months: Sustainable Energy up 229%, Fossil Fuel up 18.4%

PL_Port_1408On Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; $8.0 iMil in the Sustainable Energy space and $8.0 iMil in the fossil fuel space.

  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 30.16 % from 12/21/12.

  • The S&P 500 is up 39.3% from 12/21/12.

  • The Fossil Fuel Portfolio continues to dramatically underperform the reference indices. It is up 18.36% from Dec. 21, 2012 and down 5.67% from July, 2014.

  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is up 229.19% from Dec. 21, 2012.

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Energy Portfolios: 19 Months: Sustainable up 222%, Fossil Fuel up 25%

PLPortfolio.1407aOn Dec. 21, 2012, I put $16 Million imaginary dollars in equal imaginary investments in 16 real energy companies; Eight in the Sustainable Energy space and eight in the fossil fuel space. Here are the results since Dec. 21, 2012:

  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 30.26%.
  • The S&P 500 is up 38.04%.
  • The Fossil Fuel Portfolio is continues to dramatically underperform the reference indices. It is up 25.08% from Dec. 21, 2012.
  • The Sustainable Energy portfolio is down 11% from last month, but is up 221.77% from Dec. 21, 2012.

The details are below.

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Roller Coasters, Solar Power, Wind Power or Terrorist Tunnels

Qatari Emir w Ismail Haniya, Oct. 2012

Qatari Emir Hamad al-Thani with Ismail Haniya, Oct. 2012, Photo NY Times.

In October, 2012, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, as reported in the NY Times, here, “pledged $400 million to build two housing complexes, rehabilitate three main roads and create a prosthetic center, among other projects” in Gaza.

The $400 Million could have built 133 MW of offshore wind or 100 MW of PV Solar electricity generation capacity.

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