What Investors Need to Know About Our Solar Powered Future

Solar energy is playing an increasingly important role in how the world is powered. And even with the drop in the costs to produce oil and natural gas, the reality is, fossil fuel's days are numbered -- and potentially much sooner than most people both expect. Over the past five years, twice as much capital has been invested in developing renewables than fossil fuels on a global basis. The trend has already begun.

If you want to profit as an investor in the rise of solar energy, there are a number of things that are set to tip the balance in favor of solar, and potentially disrupt the energy industry as we know it. This could set up a handful of companies, including SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR), First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR), Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), and even utilities including NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE: NEE) and Pattern Energy Group Inc (NASDAQ: PEGI) for decades of big profits.

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Source: Fool.com