Japan Nuclear Fallout's Silver Lining: Solar Soars (FSLR, SPWRA, STP, LDK, JASO, CSIQ, SOLR, ENER, WFR, TAN)

The possible nuclear power reactor meltdown in Japan is killing anything tied to nuclear energy today.  As with most events, there is generally a silver lining elsewhere.  It just so happens that the solar power lobby may have been given its greatest gift ever in the tragedy unfolding in Japan.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) just opened up 4.8% at $146.50; SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) is up 4.2% at $14.87; Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE: STP) is up 5% at $8.46; LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) is up 5.2% at $11.25; JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: JASO) is up 5.4% at $6.64; Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is up 3.3% at $11.42; and GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR) is up 4.9% at $10.21.

Two laggards in the sector are Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENER) and MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (NYSE: WFR).  Energy Conversion is up 4% at $2.58 and MEMC is up 8.3% at $13.05.

Guggenheim Solar (NYSE: TAN) is up 5.8% at $7.80.

It is hard to think solely about the winners when you see the death toll estimates now getting closer to 10,000 and when you see the economic impact that will hurt a nation that has already seen two dead decades.

The logic behind this move is a rather easy argument.  If solar power plants have an accident, they tend not to pose risks to civilization.

JON C. OGG