Profiting from Clean Energy: A Complete Guide to Trading Green in Solar, Wind, Ethanol, Fuel Cell, Carbon Credit Industries, and More

by Richard W. Asplund

With Profiting from Clean Energy, respected investment analyst Richard Asplund provides an in-depth explanation of the technology and industry structure behind various sectors of this field and in the process identifies more than 150 stocks related to clean energy. Along the way, Asplund discusses exactly what it takes to effectively invest in clean energy&;whether it be through buying individual stocks, investing in green exchange-traded funds or mutual funds, or trading the biofuel and carbon credit markets.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

370 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2008

About the author

Richard W. Asplund is a professional investment analyst and advisor with twenty-five years of experience. He received an MBA cum laude from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, a juris doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering cum laude from the University of Minnesota. Asplund founded his own investment research firm in 1983 and is currently a professional equity analyst and advisor specializing in clean energy stocks. He has been interviewed on CNBC, Fox, Bloomberg TV, Japanese NHK TV, and National Public Radio, and has been quoted in print publications such as Dow Jones, Reuters, USA Today, Newsweek, and others.

Reviews

[Ulio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for anyone who wants a primer in clean energy. Although the book's name might lead you to believe it's all about trading or the financial side. 70% of the book is roughly about the clean tech itself and how it actually works.

Although the book is a decade+ old now it still has a lot of value for any investor looking to get into the clean space. I would say actually the inflection point Richard was speaking of is finally here. In the last 2 years and this decade with the push of companies like Tesla. We are seeing Green/climate change movement accelerated.

Some of the tech is obviously outdated but most of it is still pretty close, after reading a chapter, I would just google some of the processes to see if the pros/cons or any new advances have been made. There are some like Solar/Fuel Cells. that have seen titanic advancement and others like geothermal/wind which are still relatively the same.

Best part of the book is learning about each process, Ricard doesn't delve too deep into the science but he does give the general scientific process behind how each form of these technologies generates energy, how clean they are.

The 2nd most valuable part is, after he explains how the clean energy in questions works, he goes through the whole supply chain. He even recommends which areas of the supply chain are the safest and have the most margin.

Although the book has the word trading in it, I would recommend this for long term investors. Long-term trends like these are better to invest in rather than trend.

[Marcus Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great coverage of solar, geothermal and wind power, fuel cells, biofuels, clean coal and power efficiency, clean utilities via green pricing, cfl bulbs and energy star programs and biomass, organic matter that was once a living plant or tree or waste matter and either burning or extracting it.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete, useful green investment guide

Clean energy’s time has come. President Barack Obama’s administration is emphasizing this point and communities worldwide are confirming it. As a result, clean energy research has become one of today’s hottest topics, which makes Richard W. Asplund’s book especially timely. This comprehensive, scholarly guide teaches investors about the factors that drive the clean energy business. Asplund explains the critical variables of various clean energy resources and identifies major companies in each specialized area. getAbstract recommends this reference work to active, self-guided investors who are interested in exploring clean energy’s profit potential. They will appreciate Asplund’s valuable research, which includes detailed explanations of green technology innovations and other current industry data.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading about peak oil, I figured I should investigate the investment opportunities. This book is a good rundown of all the different kinds of clean energy sources, and the major companies in each sector. Hunt is even in there (under energy measurement). I wish there were more advice on what to invest in, but I guess that would be too much to ask. Still, an excellent overview of all the clean energy sectors. It sure seems that the sky is the limit for investment potential, since we only get about 1-2% of our energy from clean sources today. But I will invest in one or more ETF index funds, too risky to invest in particular companies in my opinion. Also need to have global exposure, not just US. Many good clean energy companies already in Europe.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this so many years after it was written was interesting. The game has changed quite a bit, and the past few years have validated many of the arguments in the book. The financial crisis also had a major impact, unpredictable to the author. That said, it was no more than introductory, and is not a thorough examination of clean energy stocks