With crude oil prices hovering around $70 per barrel attention has been focusing on alternatives. Brazil has been investing in Ethanol production and distribution for 20 years and is within a couple of years of achieving energy self-sufficiency. Other countries have been looking at wind, solar, other forms of bio-fuels, geo-thermal, waves and tides, oil sands, tar sands, shale, coal gasification, etc.
Just a few hours of research shows that most of these alternative forms of energy are not cost effective and would require government subsidies and/or guarantees to compete with oil even at the current high prices. While many governments are pleased to seem responsive to their constituents concerns, the governments have proven fickle in the past and there is no guarantee that current subsidies will continue for the life of project.
There has been a proliferation of funds investing in Alternative Energy. I think that it is still premature and that "caveat emptor" "Let the buyer beware" still rules.
I thought that there would be a big section on the FIFA World Cup official web site (FIFAWorldCup.com) on their efforts to be green given the strength of green parties in Europe in general and in Germany in particular. I couldn't find any evidence of it.
So while you can invest in a green alternative energy fund, you can't get green except in team colors at the World Cup. Although, if you could somehow capture the bio-gas from all the beer and wurst that is being consumed.... I guess I better not go there.
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