poyndexter,Dude, the tide is turning in this industry. At this...

poyndexter,
Dude, the tide is turning in this industry. At this stage the money would be in new installation and management of renewable energy solutions. Either in generation (wind farms / solar furnaces) or small scale home based installations. Geothermal is a little way off at this stage, but worth looking at in the future.

The cost of solar panels should see at least a 30% drop in the next 12 months to around 6$ a watt as a number of solar production plants come on stream this year. The balance sheet of local wind turbine manufacturing will have to look closely at their business plans as China is producing some good technology in small to medium sized wind turbines (1Kw and up). Origin's Energy's attempt into solar panels manufacture from first blush will become uneconomical; good ideas but too slow to market...pity.
The bottom line is the cost of grid connected power will drop, which will increase penetration of this type of product into the market.

The linch pin is to cost coal against the carbon it produces or subsidise clean power. If Rudd becomes PM, the businesses associated with renewable energy, with out doubt will be interesting to follow.
It is worth comparing other countries use of subsidies in grid connected power.....check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaic#Financial_incentives
And please no more Orange-bellied parrots.
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