David Fessler (Money Morning):

By the time 2009 is in the books, the record will show that solar energy stocks endured a tough year. That’s hardly a surprise, given that so many Wall Street analysts (yours truly not among them) lambasted the sector for much of the year.

Analysts also expect the carnage to continue into 2010, and are predicting losses for as many as half of the world’s solar companies.

The “thought process” of a Wall Street analyst – and I use that title loosely – goes something like this:

• Analysts first suggest that a “huge” oversupply of polysilicon (the raw material used to make silicon-based panel assemblies) exists. But this is only partially true, as increasing panel sales are rapidly eating into this oversupply.
• The analysts’ next miscue is over new thin-film panel technologies. They predict companies producing panels based on the new thin-film designs are doomed because the oversupply of polysilicon will keep poly-based panel prices too low for the thin-film guys to compete.

Talk about a myopic view if there ever was one. I suspect many of these analysts will be eating crow instead of turkey for Thanksgiving dinner next year.

In the meantime, allow me to outline the real story on the solar energy sector…

Click here for the rest of Mr. Fessler’s analysis at Money Morning.

David Fessler (Investment U):

By the time 2009 is in the books, the record will show that solar energy stocks endured a tough year. Hardly surprising, with many Wall Street analysts (yours truly not among them) lambasting the sector for much of the year.

What’s more, they also expect the carnage to continue into 2010, with losses predicted for as many as half the world’s solar companies.

The analysts’ “thought” process – and I use that term loosely – goes something like this:

• First, they suggest that a “huge” oversupply of polysilicon (the raw material used to make silicon-based panel assemblies) exists. But this is only partially true, as increasing panel sales are rapidly eating into this oversupply. 
• The analysts’ next miscue is over new thin-film panel technologies. They predict companies producing panels based on the new thin-film designs are doomed because the oversupply of polysilicon will keep poly-based panel prices too low for the thin-film guys to compete.

Talk about a myopic view if there ever was one. I suspect many of these analysts will be eating crow instead of turkey at Thanksgiving next year. Here’s the real story on the solar energy sector…

Note to Experts: Refill Your Glasses

Before I go any further, let me say that some solar energy companies will lose money in 2010. Others won’t make it at all. But that’s normal in any competitive environment.

But the experts need someone to refill their half-empty glasses, so I’ll play the role of bartender.

The truth is that the solar enery sector – particularly thin-film panels – is growing at a rapid pace. It’s one of the reasons why Trony Solar Holdings Company Ltd. (NYSE: TRO) is expected to go public in the next few weeks. Trony is China’s largest manufacturer of thin-film based solar modules.

Its IPO – underwritten by JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Credit Suisse (NYSE: CS) – is expected to raise over $200 million. And it’s oversubscribed, too. That doesn’t sound like an industry in trouble to me.

And it certainly doesn’t sound like an industry that’s doomed to replicate the 1980s, when 400 solar panel manufacturers got whittled down to just five as the market collapsed.

The market for solar photovoltaic panels (those that produce electricity) is increasing rapidly. All the industry needs is a little change in perception…

Click here for the rest of Mr. Fessler’s analysis at Investment U.

Shares in leading German solar stocks rose substantially on expectations that other big players, including oil groups, are on the prowl in a market that grew to €6.6bn last year and is forecast to top €18bn by 2020.

Germany is by far the world’s biggest solar energy market thanks to its “feed-in” tariffs, which pay a government-guaranteed premium of up to €0.47 a kilowatt hour for power produced by photovoltaic panels. It is expected to continue to grow despite government plans to cut subsidies by 8% or 9% in 2009 and 2010.

“The richest investment opportunities can be found in the fast-emerging alternative energy sector,” says Mike Burnick in The Offshore A-Letter.

“That’s where oilman T. Boone Pickens is putting his money – his company Mesa Power just placed an order for US$2 billion in wind turbines. And there’s much more profit potential in other parts of the alternative energy sector too – especially alternative fuel.

“The market for ALL alternative energy sources grew 40% last year alone to US$77.3 billion and will explode into a US$250 billion industry within 10 years.

“Bio-fuel grew to a US$25.4 billion market last with more than 15 billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel produced globally – more than double the output of just four years ago. The worldwide Bio-fuel industry will continue to enjoy explosive growth for years to come – expanding into a US$81 billion business within the next 10-years!”