As China continues tightening exports of rare earths, these metals' prices, along with shares of rare earth miners, have been surging. Since these elements vital to smartphones, nuclear shields, windmills, solar panels, and defense systems, the trend higher will likely continue as long as supply stays tight.

The smartphone industry has ballooned in recent years led by Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone and Google’s (GOOG) android. Nowadays smartphones can do all the features of a computer. This trend will likely continue, meaning more rare earth demand. Microsoft’s (MSFT) Bill Gates once said if you want to give Africans technology, give them a smartphone.

Defense, missiles, and lasers are not going anywhere either. In fact, Asia has been going through an arms race. As China grows its military, surrounding nations rush to build up their military, too. In fact, the Chinese navy and Indian navy have been scrambling to protect trade routes. All

By Lucas Scholhamer

Are there clear skies ahead? We've identified 13 solar stock rockets about to take off.

After Japan’s nuclear power scare, safer energy sources became an instant priority of nations spanning the globe. Weeks later, the Obama administration’s Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future looked to turn out the lights on foreign oil dependence, opting to exploit America’s limited reserves and subsequently catalyze the development of alternative energy sources. In the wake of these events, the solar energy industry is looking to capitalize on this rare opportunity by championing its increasingly affordable and ever-advancing technology. We take a look at 13 stocks that may help investors benefit from the sunny forecast.

Canadian Solar, Inc. (CSIQ): Manufacturing solar modules, power systems, and other specialized solar products for customers in over 30 countries, this Ontario-based solar technology giant appears poised for long-term growth. CSIQ shares traded at $10.80 upon closing

SunPower (SPWRA) trades at 10 times last 12 months earnings and at eight times 2011 projected earnings. The company’s utility and power plant business represented 70.9% of fourth quarter of 2010 revenues compared to 46.8% for the third quarter and 31.2% in the second quarter. The company’s record revenue for the fourth quarter was $937.1 million, which was within the range of expected revenue for the quarter.

The business climate continues to recover and project financing is more available. The company also executed the industry’s first publicly-rated solar project bonds of approximately 195 million euros. The company has much work to do to improve its metrics and earnings quality. Earnings for the third quarter and second quarter of 2010 were significantly improved by transactions that resulted in non-cash gains. The SunRay acquisition and expansion into the project business had a significant impact on operating cash flow.

SunPower fourth quarter of

By Katherine Tweed

It doesn’t matter if range anxiety is real or perceived. If it keeps people from buying electric vehicles, it’s a problem for those who have a stake in the success of this burgeoning driving revolution.

To combat that, NRG Energy (NRG) opened its first eVgo Freedom Station in Texas on Friday, which has a high-speed DC charger, to inspire range confidence. The privately funded network of high-speed 480-volt DC chargers will include 70 stations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and another 50 in Houston, with half in place by summertime

The inaugural charger at a Walgreens (WAG) in Dallas, can add up to 30 miles of range in as few as 10 minutes, and there’s also a 240-volt Level 2 charger that can add about 25 miles in an hour. Within the two cities, drivers will never be more than five miles from a charger when the

By Steven Ansfield

Common sense and past performance tell us that when oil spikes, alternative energy solutions companies do well. The opposite is true in the case of A123 Systems (AONE). On a day when NYMEX oil futures are hitting a 52-week high, shares of A123 Systems are hitting an all time low ($5.82).

Few companies have stoked as much euphoria as this manufacturer of lithium-ion battery cells. A123 Systems certainly has the pedigree of a tech darling: It is on the front lines of the green-tech revolution; it is the product of the world-renowned minds at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); it has been the benefactor of Department of Energy (DOE)/United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) contracts; and has heavyweight investors such as Alliance Capital, GE (GE), Motorola Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Qualcomm Ventures (just to name a few) in its back pocket. This company is a lock

Solar energy – as an investment sector – has long labored under the assumption that breakout prospects are dependent upon a few small start-up companies that have insufficient working capital and miniscule share prices.

That may be true in some areas of the technical advances that reduce costs, increase energy harvesting, or provide the myriad breakthroughs necessary for the development of a genuine storage apparatus.

But that is not the case when it comes to simply producing the main components of solar capture technology.

Better-known (and among the largest) players are already moving into solar energy – and doing so both here and abroad. And every time we see new evidence of that, it's an encouraging development, both for solar energy prospects and the investment sector developing around them.

That's because no energy source can expand market presence, attract the significant investment necessary to develop as a genuine alternative source,

First Solar (FSLR) has joined forces with 33 other clean power companies including rivals like SunPower (SPWRA) and Nanosolar to appeal against the Republican proposal to axe the funding for the Department of Energy’s loan-guarantee program. [1] The proposal was included in a budget bill passed in early February and was a shock to many in the renewables community as it could potentially derail the high growth in solar and wind energy adoption.

First Solar is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of solar modules with an advanced thin film semiconductor technology and competes with other international solar industry players like Suntech Power (STP) and Yingli Green Energy (YGE). We have a price estimate of $155 for First Solar’s stock, which is just slightly above the stock’s current market price.

Understanding the Proposal and Its Impact on the Industry

The increasing focus of U.S. government to develop alternatives for clean

There have been major developments occurring this week in the rare earth arena, which could hold significance for the expansion into Europe of Molycorp (MCP) and the development of a US domestic supply chain of rare earths (Market Vectors Rare Earth/Str Metals ETF (REMX).

Molycorp is fast becoming the Stella Polaris of the rare earth complex. It announced its takeover of a little-known Estonia-based producer called AS Silmet, purveyor of niobium and tantalum. The move involving acquisition of this unlisted production company is quite significant. It reveals the awareness on the part of the European community to secure rare earth finished products. Europe is embracing clean, carbon-free energy and independence from Middle Eastern oil. This requires an increase of fuel-efficient hybrid or electric vehicles. In fact Renault is planning four new electric vehicles to introduce to the market and expects demand will increase significantly by 2020.

Now Molycorp will increase

With oil soaring, renewable energy is feeling the love. Again.

The same thing happened leading up to mid-2008, but the market all but died out when the crisis hit. This time around, the sector is gaining steam at what feels like a much more sustainable rate, and the deals are starting to rack up.

Innergex Renewable Energy (INGXF.PK) is behind the latest deal, buying the Stardale solar project in Ontario

Victor Abate, GE's VP of Renewable Energy Business, announced the completed acquisition of Prime Star Solar Thursday morning along with some big news on the cadmium telluride front:

GE claims to have achieved the (independently verified) highest recorded efficiency for cadmium telluride at almost 13 percent for a full scale module. Abate claimed the best way to reduce solar cost was by improving efficiency and that each percentage point in efficiency lowers cost by 10 percent. Abate did not disclose per-watt costs.

Note that First Solar (FSLR), the clear leader in thin film solar, is in gigawatt-scale production at 11.6 percent efficiency with a $0.75 per-watt cost and a guidance of 2 gigawatts of production in 2011. Abound Solar, another CdTe aspirant, is working on builing up capacity of 840 megawatts with help from a DOE loan guarantee.

GE said that it has closed more than 100 megawatts of orders