As this recent article describes, the size of investment in alternative energy is going up. Quite apart from the twin drivers of rocketing oil prices and the policy requirement to reduce C02 emissions, there's another reason. Heretofore, the alternative energy business was largely dominated by small and medium sized companies. No more - especially in Germany where renewable electricity now accounts from 10% of German power.

Just take a look at these 2 big players and what they're doing - Allianz and GE;

Giant German insurer Allianz said it was raising its stockholdings in renewable energy groups from 300 million euros to 500 million euros.

And mighty US conglomerate General Electric plans to double its revenue from sun and wind energy to 15 billion euros over the next five years.