Of all the people you might expect to spearhead a movement away from oil and onto alternative energy, T. Boone Pickens probably wouldn’t be at the top of the list.

But a year ago, the 81-year old chairman of BP Capital spent his own money to buy prime time on major networks and mobilized an “army” of believers in order to get the word out about the dangers of continued dependence on foreign oil.

Earlier this month, Pickens appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss the progress of the “Pickens Plan,”which essentially seeks to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil through a combination of wind-generated power and natural gas powered vehicles. The goal: Drastically reducing or eliminating the need for foreign oil in as little as 10 years.

His timing was perfect, as oil prices shot to all-time highs around $150 a year ago. The plan garnered a lot of attention. And to

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The first few days of the week have been characterized by a fresh wave of risk aversion as uncertainty over the global economic outlook took its toll on stock markets and investors favored safe-haven assets such as government bonds, the US dollar and Japanese yen. However, yesterday brought some relief for risky assets - now in corrective mode - and it remains to be seen whether the S&P 500 Index will close down for a fourth consecutive week as the US earnings season gets on the way.

The usual debate on the outlook for the economy and financial markets dominated the video channels over the past few days, but interesting snippets on the IMF’s improved forecast for the global economy, the viability of the Public-Private Investment Program (PPIP), the US dollar’s role as reserve currency, the prospects for the earnings-reporting season and President Obama’s visit to Russia were also

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Assuming that GDP growth is slightly negative for the next 3 to 4 quarters while the credit markets gradually strengthen, let's consider the outlook and opportunities for the Alternative Energy industry over the next 6 to 12 months. Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment.

Industry Outlook for Alternative Energy Stocks: Speculative - Bullish

The electric power industry is one of the world's largest industrial segments. With a global market share of approximately 25%, the United States is the leading producer of electricity, followed by China, Japan and Russia. Total global electricity consumption volume grew at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 3.1% from 1980 to 2006, the most recently available information, according to the Energy Information Administration of the United States

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Assuming that GDP growth is slightly negative for the next 3 to 4 quarters while the credit markets gradually strengthen, let's consider the outlook and opportunities for the Alternative Energy industry over the next 6 to 12 months. Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment.

Industry Outlook for Alternative Energy Stocks: Speculative - Bullish

The electric power industry is one of the world's largest industrial segments. With a global market share of approximately 25%, the United States is the leading producer of electricity, followed by China, Japan and Russia. Total global electricity consumption volume grew at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 3.1% from 1980 to 2006, the most recently available information, according to the Energy Information Administration of the United States

...

Assuming that GDP growth is slightly negative for the next 3 to 4 quarters while the credit markets gradually strengthen, let's consider the outlook and opportunities for the Alternative Energy industry over the next 6 to 12 months. Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment.

Industry Outlook for Alternative Energy Stocks: Speculative - Bullish

The electric power industry is one of the world's largest industrial segments. With a global market share of approximately 25%, the United States is the leading producer of electricity, followed by China, Japan and Russia. Total global electricity consumption volume grew at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 3.1% from 1980 to 2006, the most recently available information, according to the Energy Information Administration of the United States

...

Assuming that GDP growth is slightly negative for the next 3 to 4 quarters while the credit markets gradually strengthen, let's consider the outlook and opportunities for the Alternative Energy industry over the next 6 to 12 months. Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment.

Industry Outlook for Alternative Energy Stocks: Speculative - Bullish

The electric power industry is one of the world's largest industrial segments. With a global market share of approximately 25%, the United States is the leading producer of electricity, followed by China, Japan and Russia. Total global electricity consumption volume grew at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 3.1% from 1980 to 2006, the most recently available information, according to the Energy Information Administration

...

Assuming that GDP growth is slightly negative for the next 3 to 4 quarters while the credit markets gradually strengthen, let's consider the outlook and opportunities for the Alternative Energy industry over the next 6 to 12 months. Many companies engaged in the solar power market offer profitability with strong average long-term annual earnings growth expectations of approximately 40%, stock price valuations significantly discounted from their recent historic highs, and a favorable political environment.

Industry Outlook for Alternative Energy Stocks: Speculative - Bullish

The electric power industry is one of the world's largest industrial segments. With a global market share of approximately 25%, the United States is the leading producer of electricity, followed by China, Japan and Russia. Total global electricity consumption volume grew at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 3.1% from 1980 to 2006, the most recently available information, according to the Energy Information Administration of the United States

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Falling oil prices have hurt a lot of investors, even some of the nation’s so-called energy experts. One of the nation’s oil heroes, T. Boone Pickens, has lost billions in 2008.

I am not sure this country should follow the advice of a man that has lost over $2 billion so far this year. But then again, some of the nation’s most powerful men have lost far more than that in just the past few weeks.

If you spend any time watching your living room television set, you have seen T. Boone Pickens discussing his proposed energy plan. The 80-year old has spent over $58 million of his own money to tell the nation it must lose its dependence on foreign oil.

What the white-haired oil barren does not tell you is that his money is not where his mouth his. While Pickens was telling you and I to fund his $100-billion idea,

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