With oil prices hitting $92 a barrel and could possibly go higher, corn and soy ethanol are sounding pretty cheap and are beginning to be a real alternative, not just something we talk about. E85 can even be found for under $2.00 a gallon in cities scattered across the United States, where gasoline sits almost a whole dollar higher.
Companies like Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE:ADM) and U.S. Global Investors Global RES (MUTF: PSPFX) are hitting highs on rising gasoline prices. While oil supplies are disappearing at a rapid pace, ethanol has finally become a cheap alternative to oil. Companies like Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ:PEIX) and MGP Ingredients (NASDAQ:MGPI), which are trading at lows, could be staged for a comeback if oil prices continue to stay at highs.
It’s easy to forget about these renewable resources when oil comes back down, but remember renewable resources never go away. Prices can only get cheaper as interest grows and new technologies are invented to produce ethanol as well as other sources or energy cheaper.
Rising oil prices have also brought more attention to alternative energy such as solar power. Just recently HelioVolt raised $101 million for producing their flexible solar panels. SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ:SPWR) as well is making solar panels for homes and businesses that want to become more energy efficient. While in the past alternative energies have not been embraced, this could be the time to start noticing their benefits to society. Historically oil prices have increased during the winter seasons and that is what we are heading into.
