Each April 22, 15% of the world’s population, roughly a billion people worldwide, celebrate the largest civic event in the world, Earth Day. There are numerous activities held throughout April, Earth Month, that encourage conservation and environmental awareness. Retail shareholders looking to find green investment opportunities or ways that their investments can support Earth Month, can select from a variety of companies that are leaders in protecting the environment and selling environmentally friendly products.
Clearway Energy (Tii:CWEN ) is one of the largest renewable energy owners in the US. The company has 6,000 net megawatts of installed wind and solar collection projects. For those that don’t know, a megawatt equals one million watts, enough to power roughly 1,000 homes. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration study from the “Land-Based Wind Market Report,” the average wind turbine installed in 2020, generates enough electricity in 45 minutes of work to power an average U.S. home for one month. CWEN also owns around 2,500 net megawatts of environmentally-sound, highly efficient natural gas generation facilities.
Individual investors interested in innovative processes could look into Ormat Technologies, Inc. (Tii:ORA). With 50 years of experience, Ormat is leading renewable energy reclamation through waste heat recovery projects. The company has developed technology that can take waste heat from industrial processes and convert it to power that can be sold on-site or be transferred/sold to the grid. Ormat also works with geothermal electricity, offering equipment and facilitating the launch of new geothermal power plants for developers, utilities and industrial customers.
Tempe, Ariz. is the headquarters of First Solar, Inc. (Tii:FSLR), a solar tech company at the forefront of solar energy industry growth. First Solar designs, manufactures and sells solar modules that use cadmium telluride (CdTe) tech to convert sunlight into electricity. The CdTe panels are more efficient in their energy conversion, provide a lower carbon alternative to conventional crystalline silicon PV solar modules, are less expensive to produce and have had success performing in challenging climates.
In 2022 NextEra Energy (Tii:NEE) was ranked number one in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra is a prominent clean energy company that owns Florida Power and Light Company, the largest electric utility in the U.S., selling more power than any other utility to 12 million people in Florida. It is one of the world’s largest wind and solar energy generators and continues to invest in emissions-free wind and solar generation, works in developing battery-storage tech, low-emissions natural gas generation, emissions-free and safe nuclear power, and is a leader in industry efficiency programs.
Enphase Energy (Tii:ENPH) could appeal to individual stockholders because its micro-inverter-based solar and battery systems that allow consumers to control their solar energy through an app that lets them sell, make, save or use electricity. When Enphase was formed in 2006, its micro-inverter tech was ground-breaking, and it was the first company to commercialize the use of it. Micro-inverters convert the direct current (DC) power generated by a solar panel into a grid compatible alternating current (AC) for use. Though best known for the micro-inverter technology, they also sell several solar-related products like batteries, EV chargers, communication systems, solar power accessories, cables and clothing.
Global wind, hydroelectric and solar facilities are the focus of Renewable Partners L.P. (Tii:BEP). The company owns, operates and invests in technology that supports renewable power generation. Retail shareholders might find this company unique in its organization: rather than a direct-to-market company that offers services or products, Renewable Partners holds many smaller renewable energy companies in its investment portfolio. The company is able to see the arc of the renewable energy industry and make investment decisions based on emerging trends and newly developing tech in specific areas.
EV charging network provider, ChargePoint Holdings (Tii:CHPT) provides a platform that allows users to see in real-time information about charging sessions. Another innovative company that might appeal to retail investors that are looking for companies that are pioneers in their industry, ChargePoint became the first publicly traded EV charging company operating across continents in 2021. It designs, develops and markets networked electric vehicle charging system infrastructure and its Cloud Services allow consumers the ability to locate, reserve, authenticate and transact electric vehicle charging sessions.
Energy storage specialist, Stem (Tii:STEM) provides clean energy solutions for solar energy storage, wholesale energy markets, microgrids and back-up power, utility bill optimization, demand response, commercial EV charging and sustainability and professional services. What makes Stem unique, is Athena. Its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven enterprise software platform, Athena, enables organizations and customers to streamline their energy usage by switching between battery power, onsite generation and grid power. The platform is designed to empower users to utilize more renewable energy, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower net energy costs and work as a virtual power plant that could support the grid.
