First Solar, Inc. (FSLR), Halliburton Company (HAL), Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC): The Future of Energy

Wind and solar are where the future is
So far, we’ve covered the decline of coal, growth in natural gas, and the steady demand for oil. But the real growth is in renewable energy. The U.S. solar market grew 76% in the last year alone, and the cost to install solar power fell 27% to $3.01 per watt. Market researcher GTM Research expects the U.S. solar market to grow 28% annually over the next four years, giving a great opportunity to investors.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) and SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWR) are the two major U.S. solar companies battling for market share. First Solar is the world’s leader in utility-scale projects while SunPower dominates in the U.S. residential market with the most efficient panels in the industry. These two can continue to grow as the U.S. and China invest more in solar.

Over in China, the country plans to install 40 GW of solar by 2015, more than any other country has installed to date. There was also more wind generation installed than any other power source, beating out coal for the first time. China is also turning its back on coal in favor of wind and solar because these energy sources will reduce the smog filling its largest cities.

Foolish bottom line
The trends are clear. Coal is being replaced by natural gas, wind, and solar, both here and in China. Since the U.S. and China are the two largest energy consumers in the world, it’s important to know which way trends are headed.

Investing in the future is as simple as picking the best companies in emerging energy sources. One to look at is First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR).

The article The Future of Energy originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium manages an account that owns shares of SunPower and Seadrill. Travis Hoium personally owns shares of SunPower and has the following options: Long Jan 2015 $7 Calls on SunPower, Long Jan 2015 $5 Calls on SunPower, and Long Jan 2015 $15 Calls on SunPower. The Motley Fool recommends Halliburton and Seadrill. The Motley Fool owns shares of Seadrill and Transocean.

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