First Solar Inc.

The lazy, hazy days of summer are behind us .The clean energy sector beat the broader market indices over the past three months -- led by a handful of solar companies and a few stalwart energy efficiency companies.

All data below is based on Friday’s pre-Labor Day Weekend close.

The overall market indices and the sector ETFs tell a mildly depressing and boring story of solar companies underperforming the overall equity markets so far this year, but a closer look reveals a dramatic contrast between spectacular winners and hapless losers.

The winners include:

What do the following investors have in common:  John Hill, Doug Schatz, Invus Group, DCM, Bohemian Compa

When the stock market was declining through mid and late 2008 and early 2009, great buying opportunities were everywhere. But who knew the bottom would be the first week of March 2009.

If you dallied a week, you missed 10% of the recovery. So nearly everybody missed the bottom.

Solar-panel maker SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA) this week completed its buyout of SunRay Renewable Energy, an international power plant developer with European and Middle Eastern operations.

President Barack Obama has expressed concern that the U.S. will be surpassed by other countries in the race to develop and use alternative energy technology.

Last week, photovoltaic panel powerhouse, First Solar, Inc. announced a power purchase agreement to supply California's Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) with 300 MW of renewable power from Desert Sunlight, a 550-megawatt (MW)

In a statement of confidence for its industry, the Mitsubishi Electric Company (TYO:6503) -- one of the world's largest solar panel producers--recently completed construction on its new solar cell plant in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

The largest thin film solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the United States, recently began commercial operations in California.

Arizona-based solar company First Solar Inc. topped Wall Street estimates for the first quarter of 2009, posting net income of $164.6 million and more than doubling revenue to to $418.2 million from $196.9 million.