We recently published a list of the 11 Best Renewable Energy Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) stands against the other best renewable energy stocks to buy now.
The future of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) plays a significant role in promoting renewable energy by offering a wide range of tax incentives and funding mechanisms to encourage investment in clean energy technologies, including solar, wind, and geothermal power, hangs in the balance as the incoming Republican-controlled White House, Senate, and House of Representatives prepare to take office in 2025.
However, an area of concern is the future of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO), which provides financing for green energy projects. The LPO has been instrumental in funding large-scale renewable energy projects and it expanded significantly under the IRA. However, Trump’s appointees, particularly Wright, who has expressed skepticism about the climate crisis, may be inclined to scale back or dismantle this program entirely, which could have a significant impact on the green energy sector.
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Renewables as the Key to Meeting Rising Demand
In an interview with Bloomberg on December 23, Tom Steyer, Co-Founder of Galvanize Climate Solutions, a climate-focused global investment firm, discussed the role of renewable energy in the United States. Steyer emphasized that while the year 2025 is often discussed in the context of climate regulations, it is more accurately about meeting the growing energy demand. He argued that renewable energy should be at the center of any energy bill, regardless of political persuasion. Steyer highlighted that market costs are the primary drivers of the energy transition to renewables. He cited the fact that in 2023, 86% of new electricity generation was predominantly from renewable sources, driven by economic rather than purely environmental considerations.
Steyer pointed out that the phrase “drill, baby, drill” might still be part of the political conversation, but the cost differential between renewable and fossil fuels drives the reality. He noted that renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuels and are becoming increasingly cost-effective. For instance, the cost of natural gas in the U.S. has risen to nearly double its previous levels, while in Europe, it is even higher. However, the cheapest electricity is increasingly coming from renewable sources, both in the U.S. and globally. This economic reality is driving business decisions, international competitiveness, and national security by industries such as tech, that require large amounts of electricity and are increasingly turning to renewables to meet their energy needs.
When asked about the potential impact of deregulation in the energy sector, Steyer suggested that deregulation could help accelerate the adoption of renewables if it includes faster permitting and lower oversight for all energy projects, including renewables. He noted that the Trump administration’s push for faster permits and reduced oversight for oil and gas drilling could extended to renewables, and will lead to a significant expansion of low-cost, abundant renewable energy.
Regarding nuclear energy, Steyer acknowledged its potential but noted the challenges associated with cost, safety, and public perception. He pointed out that nuclear energy has historically been expensive, with the last nuclear plant in Georgia costing at least four times its original estimate. While nuclear energy could provide a stable baseload power source, the high costs and safety concerns have made it a less attractive option compared to renewables.
As the United States enters 2025, the future of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) remains uncertain under a Republican government. However, the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy compared to fossil fuels makes it increasingly dominant in the global energy mix.
Solar panel workers installing a new farm for clean energy generation.
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the 11 best renewable energy stocks to buy now, we used clean energy ETFs plus online rankings to compile an initial list of 25 renewable energy stocks. We then used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 11 stocks according to the largest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 97
Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is a leading integrated retail and power generation company based in Irving, Texas. The company’s operations span from traditional power generation to cutting-edge renewable energy and energy storage technologies. Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) operates across power generation, energy retail, and infrastructure services.
Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is conducting a methodical, site-by-site analysis of its coal fleet and is determining the economic feasibility of transitioning these sites to less carbon-intensive generation. The company is making substantial progress on Coal to Solar and Energy Storage initiatives and recently announced new utility-scale solar projects in Illinois to the grid. These projects, including a 68-MW solar facility and a 2-MW/8-MWh energy storage system at the Baldwin Power Plant site, will produce approximately 140,000 MWh of zero-carbon electricity annually over the next 20 years. Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is also constructing a 40-MW utility-scale solar facility that will interconnect at the company’s EEI-Joppa Power Plant through an approximately 8-mile transmission line.
Furthermore, Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST) is actively expanding its renewable energy portfolio to meet the growing demand for sustainable power solutions while ensuring grid reliability and affordability. The company is constructing a 52-MW solar and 2-MW/8-MWh energy storage facility at the Newton Power Plant is set to begin in 2025.
Overall, VST ranks 1st on our list of best renewable energy stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of VST to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VST but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.