NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Feb 7, 2012) - Clean Energy stocks have performed well in 2012 as U.S. renewable investments continue to grow. The PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy ETF -- which is designed to deliver capital appreciation through the selection of companies that focus on greener and generally renewable sources of energy and technologies that facilitate cleaner energy -- is up more than 20 percent year to date. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Alternative Energy Sector and provides equity research on American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: [ AMSC ]) and Zoltek Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ ZOLT ]). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

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A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) last month said that the United States last year regained its title as the top country for clean energy investment, beating out China for the first time since 2008. Clean energy investments in the United States rose by 33 percent to nearly $56 billion, while those in China edged up 1 percent to $47.4 billion.

Michael Liebreich, chief executive of BNEF, warns, however, that U.S. figures were boosted by a federal loan guarantee programme and a Treasury grant programme, which has now expired.

Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the Alternative Energy Sector so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at [ www.fivestarequities.com ] and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Should President Obama earn a second term in office later this year, US Clean energy could continue to grow. Last month Obama told crowds in Las Vegas and at a Colorado military base that America must be able to compete in a global growth industry of coming decades.

During last month's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama urged Congress to pass clean energy legislation -- such as an extension of the expiring production tax credit (PTC), which is crucial to ensuring the wind industry's short-term viability, as well as a clean energy standard.

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