Welcome to the Energy and Capital Weekend Edition — our insights from the week in investing and links to our most-read Energy and Capital and sister publication articles.
I can’t start this Weekend Edition without mentioning one of the hottest investment videos of the year…
It’s about a 75-cent company making big waves in the nuclear industry — importing Korean reactors, selling nuclear desalination units, and more. The video has been so popular that we’re about to release it to other web and media sites… But we wanted to give our loyal readers another chance to see it first.
As it happens, nuclear is actually a very relevant topic this week, illustrating the fierce dichotomy of the current energy market.
In South America, Argentina was once a pioneer in the nuclear industry, opening the first plant there in 1974. But the country’s ambitious plans stalled — as did most — after the Chernobyl disaster.
Now, with a new generation of reactors ready for deployment worldwide, Argentina is once again turning to nuclear…
The country just finished a long-stalled third plant and will build two more by 2025, when it aims to get 15% of its power from nuclear.
Argentina will also resume domestic uranium mining and start a program to enrich it, making it only one of five countries that has access to soup-to-nuts nuclear energy production. So keep an eye out for plays from that area.
Even in Germany — home to the world’s largest solar market and third-largest wind market — nuclear is making a comeback.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition has agreed to extend the operating life of the country’s 17 nuclear plants by an average of 12 years.
It was good new for utilities, since they won’t have to spend capital to build new capacity. And the three largest in Germany — E.ON (XETRA: EOAN), RWE (XETRA: RWEA), and EnBW (XETRA: EBK) — were each up sharply on the news.
Opponents of the plan say it will take away from the country’s expansion of renewable energy…
But in a time of fiscal uncertainty, decisions boil down to cost. And right now, nuclear is still cheaper in Germany.
For a variety of analyst opinions on the matter, check out this report from Reuters.
Also in Europe, Lithuania has invited bids to build a nuclear plant to reduce its dependence on Russian energy imports. The contract is estimated at around $6 billion, and will be open to bidding from five shortlisted companies.
And the last nuclear news this week comes to us from Kuwait — a country I’ve already covered this week. OPEC’s fifth-biggest producer, it’s announced plans to build four nuclear reactors by 2022.
This should be viewed as another step Middle Eastern countries are taking to protect their dwindling oil reserves.
Saudi Arabia has already announced nuclear plans, and the UAE bought 4 of the very same reactors discussed in this video from the Koreans for $20 billion.
The nuclear resurgence is on.
Make sure you find a smart way to play it.
Meantime, catch up on the rest of this week’s non-nuclear energy news below.
Call it like you see it,
Nick
Smart Grid Developments: 3 Smart Grid Developments You Need to Know
Editor Jeff Siegel discusses three new smart grid developments.
Onshore Oil Rush: U.S. Military’s Secret Energy Report Reveals 3 Trillion Barrels in North America
Moments before the release of a government energy report, a group of scientists finally hit pay dirt… unlocking more than three trillion barrels. We give you all the details in our latest report from Energy and Capital.
Companies that Make Water, Energy, and Profits: Investing in Middle East Desalination
Editor Nick Hodge chronicles the dire water situation in the Middle East, and discusses emerging solutions and profit opportunities.
Dividend Stocks — The Cure for What Ails You: 2 Ways to Play the Health Care Surge
Editor Steve Christ takes look at dividend paying stocks and offer two ways to invest in the health care sector.
Germany’s Peak Oil Confession: What’s Got Germany So Worried…and How to Profit
Editor Ian Cooper uncovers the latest peak oil confession out of Germany and offers investors a few ways to profit.
20 Years of Non-Stop Revenue: The Single Wind Stock Expected to Surge 112% in 4-6 Months
At this very moment, a single wind development company is building a new wind farm worth more than a half billion dollars. And, thanks to a little-known California law that just recently kicked in, this tiny little wind farm developer is about to become the most sought-after wind energy stock on the planet. Read our full report today and take advantage of what promises to be big profits in renewable energy.
Three Million Barrels or Bust: A Flood of Canadian Crude
Editor Keith Kohl shows readers where the fate of U.S. oil imports rests.
The Definitive Guide to Russian Gold Stocks: Tapping into Russia’s +$200 Trillion Mineral Resource Base
Editor Luke Burgess examines Russia’s massive metals and mining industry, and offers some ideas on how to tap into the country’s +$200 trillion natural resource base.
Israel Hits the Big Natty Gas Find: Israel to Become Net Exporter for Oil and Natural Gas
Editor Christian DeHaemer tells you how to profit from Israel’s big oil and natty gas find.
Some Secrets Aren’t for Keeping: A Covert Meeting Backed by $54bil in Gov’t Cash
An unauthorized photo… A story buried by the mainstream media… Hushed meetings behind closed doors between a tiny American nuclear outfit and the Korean government… They could all add up to one thing: a $36,950 return on your investment in this energy company by July 2011.
This New Trend Will Crush the Housing Market: Buy Gold, Buy MOO
Editor Christian DeHaemer explains why interest rates will go up, crash the housing market, boost gold, and destroy the dollar.
