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Alternative Energy

Alternative energy can be defined a few different ways. For our purposes, we view it as energy not derived from fossil fuels. So that could include solar, wind geothermal, hydroelectric, biofuel, and nuclear. It also includes smart / clean infrastructure.

The following are funds focused on alternative energy. They can be used to increase your portfolio’s exposure to various clean energy companies and infrastructure.

Note: These are not recommendations, just investment ideas for further research.

Fund Ticker Expense Holdings Inception
ALPS Clean Energy ACES 0.65% 34 6/27/18
  Seeks to track the performance of an index comprised of U.S. and Canadian based companies that primarily operate in the Clean Energy sector. Constituents are companies focused on renewables and other clean technologies which enable the evolution of a more sustainable energy sector.
First Trust Global Wind Energy FAN 0.62% 57 6/16/08
  This is the only global renewable energy ETF that specifically targets the wind industry. FAN saves roughly 60% of its weighting for 'pure-plays' in the wind industry and allocates the remaining 40% to 'diversified sector' companies involved in the industry.
First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy QCLN 0.60% 43 2/8/07
  Holds a broad portfolio of US-listed firms in the clean energy industry. Eligible companies must be manufacturers, developers, distributors, or installers of one of the following four sub-sectors: advanced materials (that enable clean-energy or reduce the need for petroleum products), energy intelligence (smart grid), energy storage and conversion (hybrid batteries), or renewable electricity generation (solar, wind, geothermal, etc).
First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Smart Grid Infrastructure GRID 0.70% 62 11/16/09
  Tracks a market-cap-weighted index of global equities in the smart grid and electrical energy infrastructure sector.
Global X YieldCo & Renewable Energy YLCO 0.65% 40 5/27/15
  Seeks to provide exposure to an emerging class of income-generating renewable energy assets called YieldCos, along with other companies associated with the production of renewable energy that meet a minimum dividend yield criteria.
Invesco Cleantech PZD 0.65% 62 10/24/06
  Tracks a tiered equal-weighted index of companies in the cleantech industry selected for their outperformance potential.
Invesco Global Clean Energy PBD 0.75% 102 6/13/07
  Passively managed to invest in a wide array of global renewable energy companies, including those involved in conservation, improving energy efficiency and advancing renewable energy.
Invesco Solar TAN 0.71% 28 4/15/08
  Tracks an index of solar energy companies selected based on the relative importance of solar power to the company's business model.
Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy PBW 0.70% 42 3/3/05
  Highly diverse in scope, reaching beyond just industry pure-plays like wind, solar, biofuels and geothermal companies, to include companies based on their perceived relevance to the renewable energy space.
iShares Global Clean Energy ICLN 0.46% 43 6/24/08
  Tracks a market-cap-weighted index of 40 of the most liquid companies involved in businesses related to clean energy, which it defines as those involved in the biofuels, ethanol, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind industries.
SPDR Kensho Clean Power CNRG 0.45% 40 10/19/18
  Seeks to track companies that offer products and services related to manufacturing the technology for renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal), or are a necessary component of the supply chain for such products and services.
SPDR S&P Kensho Intelligent Structures SIMS 0.45% 46 12/18/17
  Passively managed exposure to companies involved in: smart building infrastructure, smart power grids, intelligent transportation infrastructure, or intelligent water infrastructure.
VanEck Vectors Low Carbon Energy SMOG 0.62% 32 5/3/07
  Holds a wide spectrum of companies that earn at least 1/2 their revenues from the broader renewable energy industry, which includes solar, wind, biofuel and geothermal players, as well as companies focused on energy efficiency.
VanEck Vectors Uranium + Nuclear Energy NLR 0.61% 26 8/13/07
  Tracks a market-cap-weighted index of companies in the nuclear energy industry.