The wind, solar, and biofuel sectors alone generated US$139.1 billion in revenue last year. Major financial institutions have dedicated clean energy departments. There are clean energy stock indices and funds. Hundreds of venture capitalists have successfully exited cleantech start-ups. Cleantech was turned to by global governments as a remedy for recession. The number of cleantech IPOs continues to climb. A refreshingly clean and green update from Green Chip Review.

The people at Green Chip Review and Green Chip Stocks have their ears to the ground and know what’s hot or not before the market wakes up. Here’s the latest insights, as well as some old Myths and New Realties to ponder and soak up.

Green Chip Stocks can point to guaranteed gains to select companies in the clean energy  and green tech sectors every year since 1995, handing early investors wins like 793%, 846%, 1,021%, 1,375%, 1,805%, 2,628%, 3,475% — and 38 more…

If early indications are correct, the 2010 meeting on results  is going to make previous years’ gains look like pennies in a bucket.

Headlines this week brought some of those arguments to the fore…Then & Now.

Old Myth: There’s plenty of remaining oil.

New Reality: The UK Task Force on Peak Oil just published a report concluding that “oil shortages, insecurity of supply and price volatility will destabilise economic, political, and social activity potentially by 2015.”

The College of Engineering and Petroleum at Kuwait University (an Oil State!) recently found the world’s oil reserves to be 2.14 trillion barrels, of which we’ve already produced 1.16 trillion — so more than half is already gone. It marked non-OPEC peak production in 2006 and forecast OPEC production to peak in 2026.

ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva publicly stated last week that pursuing new oils reserves is no longer a viable business model and that his company will focus instead on natural gas.

Old Myth: Cleantech is too expensive.

New Reality: Traditional solar is already price competitive in many markets. Greentech Media reported this week that those markets include Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and most of Europe. Advanced non-silicon solar is even cheaper. Wind is competitive where geographically suited.

And efficiency — which the Old Myth crowd never considered — can save consumers energy and money while still generating a profit for the companies pursuing it.

All this without mentioning the hidden costs of fossil fuels: pollution, environmental damage, energy dependence, health. These factors make renewables even more competitive.

New hybrids — included the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius — are priced competitively with their internal combustion counterparts.

Old Myth: Renewables will never catch on or produce much energy. Coal and natural gas will rule.

New Reality: As you read this, renewable are responsible for more than 10% of U.S. energy. Renewables’ contribution to our energy needs is now almost equal that of nuclear, and that total has been growing every year.

Old Myth: You can’t make money with renewables.

New Reality: The wind, solar, and biofuel sectors alone generated $139.1 billion in revenue last year. Major financial institutions have dedicated clean energy departments. There are clean energy stock indices and funds. Hundreds of venture capitalists have successfully exited cleantech start-ups.

Cleantech was turned to by global governments as a remedy for recession. The number of cleantech IPOs continues to climb. Thousands of Green Chip premium members have been profiting for years.

Embracing the New Reality

As far back as our cleantech myth-busting days, Green Chip and its readers have been embracing the new energy reality.

We saw past the noise and bitter attacks because we knew the level of prosperity about to be ushered in. We worked hard to spread the new energy truth and to help as many people profit from it as possible; to adapt an old George Jones lyric, we were cleantech when cleantech wasn’t cool.

And it’s paid off handsomely.

But for all the progress that’s been made — for all the policies changed; for all the billions spent; for all the support gained — cleantech is still very much in its infancy.

Imagine what’s ahead in adolescence and adulthood.

Some stocks have already gained thousands of percentage points; some investors have already made millions.

And that was all during the preparatory stage. Expanding solar and wind factories, pioneering smart grid devices, launching initial deployment was the hard part!

The real money will be made as we continue the transition from alternative to mainstream; as renewables continue to increase capacity; as the smart grid just becomes the grid. This is the easy part compared to the past decade.

So be encouraged by how far we’ve come. But know that there’s even further to go.

Be aware that you’re on the correct side of this equation. Don’t be dissuaded by myths and misinformation.

And above all, know that cleantech is synonymous with prosperity.

We’ll continue to be here every week, bringing you the best ways to profit from the new energy reality.

Source: www.greenchipreview.com