Spring brings sunnier view for solar stocks

[Joanne98]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After a long dark winter, spring has brought a sunnier outlook for solar stocks.

Shares of solar power companies are on the rise again after a sharp sell-off this year, and many on Wall Street said the worst is over for the beaten down sector -- for now.

Volatile oil prices and concerns about a slowing U.S. economy dampened U.S. investor enthusiasm for solar stocks earlier this year following a booming year for the sector in 2007. In recent weeks, however, oil prices have soared to over $100 a barrel and several solar companies have posted robust sales and earnings, bolstering the case for investing in solar power.

"It certainly looks like we've seen the bottom in most solar stocks," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said in an interview. "Now that the overall market has stabilized and there is more investor optimism in general, we are seeing money flow back into the solar space, with good reason."
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN2529859120080327

[panader0]

1. After 36 years in construction, I'm going into solar.

The new home market has been slow lately, but the future for solar is huge. I've been collecting info for a while. The technology is snowballing.

[Zorro]

2. Just had solar panels installed a couple of weeks ago

They're expensive as hell, but we figure electricity prices are only headed in one direction. There's still a $2K federal tax credit available through the end of 2008, so that (along with the California rebate) helps reduce the sting.

We're fortunate to have a good south-facing exposure, and it's nice to see the meter spinning backwards.

I think there's a finite limit to just how cheap the panels will get, and am somewhat dubious of the claims of companies like Nanosolar.