When it comes to checks and balances, carbon emissions could do without. Despite massive gains in growth for both solar and wind in 2012, emissions per unit of energy remain nearly at the same level as 15 years ago. Let's take a closer look at who's polluting, who's greening, and if there are profits in store for your portfolio picks.
Black versus green
In the push to curb carbon emissions, coal is the yin to renewables' yang. Coal-fired generation increased 6% from 2010 to 2013 at a rate that continues to outstrip non-fossil-fuel growth�on an absolute basis. Despite gains we've seen in carbon capture technology and production efficiency, approximately 50% of all coal-fired plants built in 2011 used inefficient technologies.
For once, it seems, the United States is not to blame. Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK ) is well on its way to shutting down 6,800 MW of inefficient plants as part of a $12.5 billion modernization project, while Southern Company (NYSE: SO ) recently celebrated the first time in its history that the company has generated more electricity from gas than coal. In the next two years, Southern has slotted $3.6 billion toward "environmental spending," a large portion of which will be allocated to "clean coal" generation facilities.
Top Blue Chip Stocks To Buy Right Now: EXCO Resources NL(XCO)
EXCO Resources, Inc., an independent oil and natural gas company, engages in the exploration, exploitation, development, and production of onshore North American oil and natural gas properties with a focus on shale resource plays. The company holds interests in various projects located in East Texas, North Louisiana, Appalachia, and the Permian Basin in west Texas. As of December 31, 2010, it had proved reserves of approximately 1.5 trillion cubic feet equivalent; and operated 7,276 wells. The company was founded in 1955 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aaron Levitt]
Already, analysts predict that Magnum Hunter Resources will grow its earnings by roughly 70% this year as its domestic shale acreage takes off. Any additional boost from its new Australian holdings will only sweeten the pot, making MHR one of the top energy stocks under $10.
Energy Stocks Under $10 to Buy Now: EXCO Resources (XCO)Natural gas producer EXCO Resources (XCO) is one of the best cheap stocks under $10 because it’s been attracting all the right kind of attention. Namely, several big-time value investors including billionaires Wilbur Ross and Prem Watsa have loaded up on XCO stock.
- [By Arjun Sreekumar]
In response, virtually every major U.S. energy producer curtailed gas drilling in favor of producing oil and, to a lesser degree, natural gas liquids. For instance, Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK ) , the nation's second-largest natural gas producer, reduced its gas-directed rig count from over 100 rigs in early 2010 to around 10 by the third quarter of last year. Similarly, EXCO Resources (NYSE: XCO ) slashed its gas rig count from 23 as of year-end 2011 to 7 as of the end of October last year.
- [By Eric Volkman]
EXCO Resources (NYSE: XCO ) is about to draw another shareholder payback out of the ground. The company has declared a dividend of $0.05 per share for its Q1. That nickel will be paid on June 28 to stockholders of record as of June 14. The amount matches the company's previous distribution, which was paid in late March. Before that, EXCO Resources had handed out $0.04 per share since September 2010.
- [By Tyler Crowe]
Right now, natural gas spot prices are in the $4.00 range. For low-cost natural gas producers like Ultra Petroleum (NYSE: UPL ) and Exco Resources (NYSE: XCO ) , a $4 price for gas will be a welcome sight. Exco had written down so many assets because of low gas prices, the company expects profits as long as gas remains above $2.15. Once LNG exports do come on line, an uptick in natural gas prices is expected, but not one that is so severe. More importantly, companies like Ultra and Exco that deal exclusively with natural gas will not have to worry as much about wild price swings.�
Top 5 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Emerge Energy Services LP (EMES)
Emerge Energy Services LP, incorporated on April 27, 2012, owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of energy service assets. The Company operates in two segments: Sand segment, and Fuel Processing and Distribution segment. Sand segment consists of mining and processing frac sand, a component used in hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells. The Company�� frac sand facilities are located in New Auburn, Wisconsin, Barron County, Wisconsin and Kosse, Texas. Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of acquiring, processing and separating the transmix that results when multiple types of refined petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and Birmingham, Alabama.
Sand Segment
The Company�� Wisconsin sand reserves at its New Auburn and Barron facilities provide the Company access to a range of sand that meets or exceeds all API specifications and includes a concentration of 16/30, 20/40 and 30/50 mesh sands. The Company�� New Auburn dry plant facility has a rated production capacity of 4,200 tons per day, or roughly 40 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company also has 4.5 miles of existing rail track that connects its facility to the Union Pacific rail line and provides the Company with shipping access to all of the shale basins in the United States and Canada with direct access to areas of oil production in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and the western United States. The Company�� Barron facility consists of a sand mine and a wet plant on land. This facility has a rated production capacity of 8,800 tons per day, or roughly 80 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company ! also mine frac sand at its facility in Kosse, Texas that is processed into a high-quality, 100 mesh frac sand, generally used in dry gas drilling applications.
Fuel Processing and Distribution Segment
The transmix industry consists of businesses that process and separate transportation mixture, which is the liquid interface, or fuel mixture, that forms when multiple types of petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. Pipeline operators send large batches of different fuel products (such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel) through the same pipeline, in sequence, to receiving terminals. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and in Birmingham, Alabama, which are operated by Direct Fuels and AEC, respectively.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
A friend of mine recently had $5,000 he wanted to invest, and asked what I thought about Emerge Energy Services (NYSE: EMES). He wasn�� familiar with how master limited partnerships are structured, or with the tax implications of investing in an MLP. With the tax season upon us, many of you are dealing with these issues right now. Some of you may be considering your first MLP. But you need to be sure you understand the trade-offs associated with MLP investing.
Top 5 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: Magnum Hunter Resources Corp (MHR)
Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation (Magnum Hunter), incorporated in June 1997, is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration for and the exploitation, acquisition, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, primarily in the states of West Virginia, Ohio, Texas, Kentucky and North Dakota and in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company is also engaged in midstream operations, including the gathering of natural gas through its ownership and operation of a gas gathering system in West Virginia and Ohio, named as its Eureka Hunter Pipeline System. The Company�� portfolio includes Marcellus/Utica Shales in West Virginia and Ohio, the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas, and the Williston Basin/Bakken Shale in North Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada. As of December 31, 2011, its proved reserves were 44.9 million barrels of oil equivalent and were approximately 48% oil. In August 2012, the Company closed on the acquisition of 1,885 net mineral acres located in Atascosa County, Texas. With this acquisition, the Company has approximately 7,278 gross acres and 5,212 net acres located in Atascosa County, Texas.
On May 3, 2011, it acquired NuLoch Resources Inc. In April 2011, Triad Hunter, its wholly owned subsidiary, acquired certain Marcellus Shale oil and gas properties located in Wetzel County, West Virginia. On April 13, 2011, it acquired NGAS Resources, Inc. In February 2012, Triad Hunter acquired leasehold mineral interests located primarily in Noble County, Ohio.
Eagle Ford Shale Properties
Eagle Ford Shale is located in Gonzales, Lavaca, Atascosa and Fayette Counties, Texas. The Eagle Ford Shale properties are held primarily by its wholly owned subsidiary, Eagle Ford Hunter, Inc. As of February 27, 2012, the Company�� Eagle Ford Shale properties included approximately 54,000 gross (24,000 net) acres primarily targeting the Eagle Ford Shale oil window, principally in Gonzales and Lavaca Counties, Texas. As of December 31! , 2011, proved reserves attributable to the Eagle Ford Shale properties were 5.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, of which 94% were oil and 24% were classified as proved developed producing, and 5.4 million barrels of oil equivalent. As of February 27, 2012, its Eagle Ford Shale properties included 18 gross (10 net) productive wells, of which it operated 14.
Williston Basin Properties
The Williston Basin is spread across North Dakota, Montana and parts of southern Canada. The basin produces oil and natural gas from a range of producing horizons, including the Madison, Bakken, Three Forks/Sanish and Red River formations. As of February 27, 2012, the Company�� Williston Basin properties included approximately 413,003 gross (122,561 net) acres. As of December 31, 2011, proved reserves attributable to the Williston Basin properties were 8.9 million barrels of oil equivalent, of which 94% were oil and 42% were classified as proved developed producing, and 8.8 million barrels of oil equivalent. As of February 27, 2012, the Williston Basin properties included approximately 288 gross (98.9 net) productive wells.
The Williston Hunter United States property acreage is located in Divide and Burke Counties, North Dakota, with its primary production from the Bakken Shale and Three Forks/Sanish formations. As of February 27, 2012, its Williston Hunter United States properties included approximately 36,355 net acres in the Williston Basin in North Dakota. As of February 27, 2012, the Williston Hunter United States properties included approximately 105 gross (9.5 net) productive wells. The Company�� Williston Hunter Canada property is located primarily in Enchant, near Vauxhall, Alberta, Canada, at Balsam near Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada and at Tableland, near Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada. As of February 27 2012, the Williston Hunter Canada properties included approximately 107,270 gross acres (79,693 net acres). At December 31, 2011, the Williston Hunter Canada prope! rties inc! luded approximately 65 gross productive wells. As of December 31, 2011, Williston Hunter Canada had 41,797 gross (32,944 net) acres of land that is prospective for Bakken and Three Forks/Sanish oil in the Tableland field. The Enchant property consists of 10,720 acres. As of December 31, 2011, 48 wells (44.1 net) were producing on this acreage. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned approximately 43% average interest in 15 fields located in the Williston Basin in North Dakota consisting of 151 wells, and approximately 15,000 gross (6,450 net) acres.
Appalachian Basin Properties
The properties acquired in the NGAS acquisition are held by its wholly owned subsidiary, Magnum Hunter Production, Inc. As of February 27, 2012, its Appalachian Basin properties included a total of approximately 484,412 gross (412,323 net) acres, located primarily in the Marcellus Shale, Utica Shale and southern Appalachian Basin. At December 31, 2011, proved reserves attributable to its Appalachian Basin properties were 29.9 million barrels of oil equivalent, of which 27% were oil and 59% were classified as proved developed producing, and 30.2 million barrels of oil equivalent. As of February 27, 2012, the Appalachian Basin properties included approximately 3,112 gross (2,257 net) productive wells, of which we operated approximately 88%.
As of February 27, 2012, it had approximately 58,426 net acres in the Marcellus Shale area of West Virginia and Ohio. The Company�� Marcellus Shale property is located principally in Tyler, Pleasants, Doddridge, Wetzel and Lewis Counties, West Virginia and in Washington, Monroe and Noble Counties, Ohio. As of February 27, 2012, the Company operated 33 vertical Marcellus Shale wells and 16 horizontal Marcellus Shale wells. As of February 27, 2012, approximately 63% of its leases in the Marcellus Shale area were held by production.
Other Properties
The Company�� East Chalkley field is located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.! The fiel! d consists of approximately 714 gross acres (443 net acres). This developmental project is an exploitation of bypassed oil reserves remaining in a natural gas field located at depths between 9,300 and 9,400 feet. As of February 27, 2012, the Company operated the East Chalkley field and owned an approximately 62% working interest and an approximately 42.7% net revenue interest in the field. Other properties of the Company are located in Nacogdoches, Colorado, Lavaca, Bee, Fayette and Wharton Counties, Texas and Desoto Parish, Louisiana. As of February 27, 2012, these properties consisted of an aggregate of approximately 7,050 gross (1,188 net) acres.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Magnum Hunter Resources (NYSE: MHR ) is officially no longer a presence in certain parts of Texas' massive Eagle Ford Shale play. The company announced it has closed the sale of its stakes in properties located in Gonzales and Lavaca counties to a subsidiary of Penn Virginia (NYSE: PVA ) .
- [By Ben Levisohn]
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey’s Neal Dingmann and team estimate that Southwestern paid $9,625 an acre for the land, when previous deals in West Virginia had come in below $5,000. Obviously, Chesapeake got a good price, which also helps explain why Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR), Gulfport Energy (GPOR), and��Consol Energy (CNX), among other West Virginia players, are also getting a bounce today.
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of Magnum Hunter Resources (NYSE: MHR ) dropped as much as 27% today after the company dropped its auditor.
So what: It was disclosed late yesterday that Magnum Hunter has dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers as its auditor. The auditor said it had found material weakness in internal controls and had requested additional information about the value of the company's oil and gas assets.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
It's been a tough year for investors of Magnum Hunter Resources (NYSE: MHR ) . As I write this, shares are down about 18% on the year, though shares had been down by more than 37% after the company�announced that it was ditching its auditor. While the stock has slowly recovered, the company has three major action items to accomplish if it wants to win back investors.
Top 5 Energy Companies To Buy Right Now: SunPower Corp (SPWR)
SunPower Corporation, incorporated in April 1985, is a vertically integrated solar products and services company that designs, manufactures and delivers solar electric systems worldwide for residential, commercial, and utility-scale power plant customers. The Company operates in two business segments: the Utility and Power Plants (UPP) Segment and the Residential and Commercial (R&C) Segment. The UPP Segment refers to its solar products and systems business, which includes power plant project development and project sales, turn-key engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for power plant construction, and power plant operations and maintenance (O&M) services. UPP Segment also sells components, including huge volume of sales of solar panels and mounting systems to third parties, sometimes on a multi-year, firm commitment basis. The R&C Segment focuses on solar equipment sales into the residential and small commercial market through its third-party global dealer network, as well as direct sales and EPC and O&M services in the United States and Europe for rooftop and ground-mounted solar power systems for the new homes, commercial and public sectors. In May 2012, K Road Power Holdings, LLC (K Road) and SunPower Corp announced that K Road acquired the 25-megawatt (AC) McHenry Solar Project, which the Company designed. In January 2013, the Company MidAmerican Solar acquired the 579-megawatt Antelope Valley Solar Projects (AVSP), two co-located projects in Kern and Los Angeles Counties in Calif from SunPower.
In January 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of the wholly owned Total SA subsidiary Tenesol SA, a global solar provider. In September 2011, NRG Energy Inc. acquired 250 megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) project from SunPower. In June 2011, the Company introduced SunPower E20 Series Solar Panel (E20) series. The Company�� customers in its UPP Segment include investors, financial institutions, project developers, electric utilities, and independent po! wer producers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In its R&C Segment, the Company primarily sells its products to commercial and governmental entities, production home builders, and its third-party global dealer network serving residential owners and small commercial building owners.
Solar Cells
The A-300 solar cell is a silicon solar cell with a specified power value of 3.1 watts and a conversion efficiency averaging between 20.0% and 21.5%. The Company�� A-330 solar cell delivers 3.3 watts with a conversion efficiency of up to 22.7%.
Solar Panels
The Company�� SunPower solar panel series include solutions, such as SunPower E18 Series Solar Panel (E18), SunPower E19 Series Solar Panel (E19), and SunPower E20 Series Solar Panel (E20). Available in a 72-cell configuration, the E18 series panel uses its A300 all back-contact solar cells and delivers a total panel conversion of 18.1% to 18.5%. Available in a 72, 96, and 128-cell configuration, the E19 series panel uses its A300 all back-contact solar cells and delivers total panel conversion of 19.3% to 19.7%. Available in a 96-cell configuration, the E20 series panel uses its A-330 all back-contact solar cells and delivers total panel conversion of up to 20.1%.
Inverters
The Company sells a line of SunPower branded inverters. The inverters are manufactured by third parties.
Roof Mounted Products
The roof mounted products include SunPower T-5 Solar Roof Tile System (T-5), SunPower T-10 Commercial Solar Roof Tiles (T-10), PowerGuard Roof System (PowerGuard) and SunTile Roof Integrated System (SunTile). Tilted at a 5-degree angle, the T-5 roof tile is a non-penetrating photovoltaic rooftop product that combines solar panel, frame, and mounting system. The T-5 solar roof tile systems are primarily sold through its R&C Segment.
Tilted at a 10-degree angle, the T-10 commercial solar roof tiles is a non-penetrating panel interlock system! . Dependi! ng on geographical location and local climate conditions, this can allow for the generation of up to 10% more annual energy output than traditional flat roof-mounted systems. The T-10 commercial solar roof tile is primarily sold through its R&C Segment.
PowerGuard is a non-penetrating roof-mounted solar panel that delivers electricity while insulating and protecting the roof membrane from ultraviolet rays and thermal degradation. The PowerGuard roof system is primarily sold through its R&C Segment. SunTile solar shingles are designed to replace multiple types of roof panels, including the common concrete flat, low and high profile S tile and composition shingles. The SunTile roof system is also sold through its R&C Segment.
Ground Mounted Products
The ground mounted products include SunPower T-0 Tracker (T-0) & SunPower T-20 Tracker (T-20), SunPower Oasis Power Plant (SunPower Oasis), SunPower C-7 Tracker (C-7), and Fixed Tilt and SunPower Tracker Systems for Parking Structures. The T-0 and T-20 trackers are single-axis tracking systems that automatically pivot solar panels to track the sun's movement throughout the day. This tracking feature increases the amount of sunlight that is captured and converted into energy by up to 30% over flat or fixed-tilt systems, depending on geographic location and local climate conditions. A single motor and drive mechanism can control 10 to 20 rows, or more than 200 kilo watts of solar panels. The T-0 and T-20 trackers have been installed in a range of geographical markets principally in the United States, Germany, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, and Spain. The T-0 and T-20 trackers are sold through both its UPP and R&C Segments.
The Oasis is a solar power block that scales from 1 mega watts distributed installations to central station power plants. Oasis provides a way to deploy utility-scale solar power systems, streaming the development and construction process while optimizing the use of available land. The SunPow! er Oasis ! is sold through its UPP Segment. The C-7 combines a horizontal single-axis tracker with rows of parabolic mirrors, reflecting light onto linear arrays of its solar cells. The C-7 tracker is sold through its UPP Segment. SunPower has developed designs for solar power systems for parking structures in multiple configurations. These dual-use systems typically incorporate solar panels into the roof of a carport or similar structure to deliver onsite solar power while providing shade and protection. They are suited for parking lots adjacent to facilities. Fixed Tilt and SunPower Tracker Systems for parking structures are sold through both its UPP and R&C Segments.
Other System Offerings
SunPower�� metal roof system is designed for sloped-metal roof buildings, which are used in some winery and warehouse applications. This solar power system is designed for rapid installation. It also offers other architectural products, such as day lighting with translucent solar panels.
Balance of System Components
Balance of system components are components of a solar power system other than the solar panels. It includes SunPower branded inverters, mounting structures, charge controllers, grid interconnection equipment, and other devices depending on the specific requirements of a particular system and project.
The Company competes with Canadian Solar Inc., JA Solar Holdings Co., Kyocera Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Q-Cells AG, Sanyo Corporation, Sharp Corporation, SolarCity Corporation, SolarWorld AG, Sungevity, Inc., SunRun, Inc., Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., Trina Solar Ltd., Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd., Abengoa Solar S.A., Acconia Energia S.A., AES Solar Energy Ltd., Chevron Energy Solutions, EDF Energy plc, First Solar Inc., NextEra Energy, Inc., OPDE Group, NRG Energy, Inc., Recurrent Energy, Sempra Energy, Skyline Solar, Inc., Solargen Energy, Inc., Solaria Corporation, SolFocus, Inc., SunEdison and Tenaska, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
Merchant power plants, which sell power to the electric grid at spot prices, are competitive in the market today. In Chile, SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE ) built the 50 megawatt Maria Elena Project that was the largest merchant solar power plant until earlier this year when�SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) completed its 70 megawatt Salvador Project.�
- [By Travis Hoium]
My top pick is still SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) , and another great company is SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY ) . Residential solar grew 53% in the first quarter, and both companies have a major share of this growing market. Unlike utility-scale solar, the residential space is far more consistent, and we can expect more growth in the future. Both SunPower and SolarCity sign customers up to 20-year leases, ensuring revenue long-term.�
- [By Travis Hoium]
The first two companies I think of are SolarCity and SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) . SolarCity is the largest distributed solar installer in the U.S. and has invested in Off-Grid Electric, a Tanzania-based company that provides solar lighting in Africa. It is also developing energy storage to store energy for emergencies within the home that could be transferred to microgrids both here and abroad.�
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