Traditional lax stick. Traditional Wooden Lacrosse Sticks: Craftsmanship and Heritage in Modern Sports

How are traditional wooden lacrosse sticks made. What makes them different from modern sticks. Why do some players prefer wooden sticks. How has the craft of making wooden lacrosse sticks evolved over time. Where can you find authentic wooden lacrosse sticks today.

The Resurgence of Traditional Wooden Lacrosse Sticks

In the world of modern sports equipment, traditional wooden lacrosse sticks are experiencing a remarkable revival. Companies like Traditional Lacrosse (TLAX) and Wooden Lacrosse Sticks are at the forefront of this movement, bridging the gap between ancient craftsmanship and contemporary play. These artisanal sticks offer players a unique connection to the game’s rich heritage while providing a distinct playing experience.

What sets wooden lacrosse sticks apart?

Wooden lacrosse sticks differ from their modern counterparts in several key aspects:

• Materials: Crafted from hickory wood with leather and rawhide components
• Shape: Typically narrower face and medium length
• Weight: Generally heavier than synthetic sticks
• Feel: Unique balance and tactile sensation
• Customization: Can be personalized through carving or engraving

The Craftsmanship Behind Traditional Lacrosse Sticks

The process of creating a wooden lacrosse stick is an art form that has been passed down through generations. Richard Snow of Wooden Lacrosse Sticks demonstrates this craft using a traditional carving horse bench, highlighting the meticulous attention to detail required in each step of production.

How are wooden lacrosse sticks made?

The creation of a wooden lacrosse stick involves several stages:

1. Selecting and curing the wood (typically hickory)
2. Shaping the stick using traditional tools
3. Steam-bending to create the characteristic curve
4. Carving and refining the head shape
5. Drilling holes for the leather strings
6. Stringing the pocket with leather and rawhide

Traditional Lacrosse (TLAX): Blending Heritage with Modern Production

TLAX has quickly become a prominent player in the wooden lacrosse stick market. Operating out of Akwesasne, they’ve gained popularity by offering high-quality sticks that honor traditional craftsmanship while incorporating some modern elements.

What makes TLAX sticks unique?

TLAX sticks stand out for several reasons:

• Well-balanced design
• Consistent quality despite larger production numbers
• Narrow face shape with medium length
• Custom laser engraving options
• Competitive pricing

The Art of Stringing and Breaking In a Wooden Stick

One of the most crucial aspects of a wooden lacrosse stick is its pocket. TLAX sticks come pre-strung, but players often need to invest time in breaking them in to achieve optimal performance.

How do you break in a wooden lacrosse stick?

Breaking in a wooden stick requires patience and technique:

• Loosen the middle leather strings slightly
• Practice wall ball for extended periods
• Use a wooden baseball bat to gently work the pocket
• Allow time for the leather to stretch and form naturally

Customizing Your Wooden Lacrosse Stick

While traditional in nature, wooden lacrosse sticks can be personalized to suit individual preferences. This customization process allows players to create a truly unique piece of equipment.

How can you customize a wooden lacrosse stick?

Customization options include:

• Shaving down the shaft for a slimmer grip
• Adjusting the pocket depth and tension
• Adding personal engravings or logos
• Applying protective finishes or stains

The Market for Traditional Wooden Lacrosse Sticks

Despite the dominance of modern synthetic sticks, there’s a growing market for traditional wooden lacrosse sticks. Companies like Wooden Lacrosse Sticks are tapping into this niche, offering a variety of styles from different artisans.

Where can you find authentic wooden lacrosse sticks?

Authentic wooden lacrosse sticks are available through various channels:

• Specialized online retailers like Wooden Lacrosse Sticks
• Direct from manufacturers like TLAX
• At lacrosse tournaments and events
• Through Native American artisans and communities

The Future of Wooden Lacrosse Sticks in Modern Play

As the sport of lacrosse continues to evolve, wooden sticks maintain a special place in the hearts of players and enthusiasts. While not typically used in competitive play, they serve important roles in training, cultural preservation, and connecting players to the game’s roots.

Why do some players prefer wooden lacrosse sticks?

Players choose wooden sticks for various reasons:

• Appreciation for traditional craftsmanship
• Desire to connect with the sport’s heritage
• Unique feel and playing characteristics
• Aesthetic appeal and collectibility
• Use in ceremonial or cultural events

The enduring appeal of wooden lacrosse sticks speaks to the deep cultural significance of the sport. As companies like TLAX and Wooden Lacrosse Sticks continue to innovate while respecting tradition, they ensure that this ancient craft will remain relevant for generations to come.

Preserving Native American Heritage Through Lacrosse

The resurgence of interest in wooden lacrosse sticks is intrinsically linked to efforts to preserve and celebrate Native American culture. For many indigenous communities, lacrosse is more than just a sport – it’s a spiritual practice and a connection to their ancestors.

How do wooden lacrosse sticks contribute to cultural preservation?

Wooden sticks play a crucial role in maintaining Native American traditions:

• They are used in traditional games and ceremonies
• The craft of stick-making preserves ancient skills and knowledge
• They serve as tangible links to cultural heritage
• They provide economic opportunities for Native American artisans
• They educate non-Native players about the sport’s origins

The Environmental Impact of Wooden vs. Synthetic Lacrosse Sticks

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration in sports equipment, wooden lacrosse sticks offer an interesting alternative to synthetic materials. While they require careful sourcing of wood, they can potentially have a lower overall environmental impact.

Are wooden lacrosse sticks more eco-friendly than synthetic ones?

The environmental considerations of wooden sticks include:

• Biodegradability of natural materials
• Renewable nature of responsibly sourced wood
• Longer lifespan when properly cared for
• Lower energy requirements in production compared to plastics
• Potential for local, small-scale manufacturing

Training and Skill Development with Wooden Lacrosse Sticks

Many coaches and players advocate for incorporating wooden sticks into training regimens, believing that they can help develop fundamental skills and a deeper understanding of the game.

How can using a wooden stick improve a player’s skills?

Training with wooden sticks can enhance various aspects of play:

• Improved stick control due to increased weight
• Enhanced feel for the ball in the pocket
• Better understanding of proper throwing mechanics
• Increased focus on fundamentals rather than relying on equipment
• Development of ambidextrous skills due to the stick’s symmetry

The Collectible and Artistic Value of Wooden Lacrosse Sticks

Beyond their practical use in play, wooden lacrosse sticks have become sought-after collectibles and works of art. Many enthusiasts appreciate the craftsmanship and history embodied in these sticks, leading to a growing market for both vintage and contemporary pieces.

What factors contribute to the value of a wooden lacrosse stick?

Several elements can influence a stick’s collectible or artistic value:

• Age and historical significance
• Craftsmanship and quality of materials
• Rarity or limited production
• Association with notable players or events
• Artistic embellishments or carvings
• Provenance and authentication

As the popularity of lacrosse continues to grow globally, the appreciation for its traditional roots remains strong. Wooden lacrosse sticks serve as a bridge between the sport’s ancient origins and its modern incarnation, offering players, collectors, and enthusiasts a tangible connection to a rich cultural heritage. Whether used for play, display, or ceremonial purposes, these artisanal creations continue to captivate and inspire, ensuring that the spirit of traditional lacrosse endures in the contemporary sporting landscape.

Wood Stick Wednesday: Traditional Lacrosse

Traditional Lacrosse, or “TLAX” as they are sometimes referred to, is a newer company in the lacrosse world, and they have a couple of plastic heads, some shafts, and some other gear available. What they’re known for though are their wooden lacrosse sticks. Traditional Lacrosse has been all over the US and Canada selling their sticks, driving interest in the idea of owning a woodie, and has quickly become one of the larger modern wooden stick makers, almost overnight. The company operates out of Akwesasne and they did a great job of selecting their brand name!

Traditional Lacrosse Wooden Sticks

Last week, I talked about the old Mohawk Manufacturing Company sticks, and how they were mass produced. As I said last week, it can lead to a slightly lower overall quality, but as has been the case for decades, finding the RIGHT stick for you is what it’s all about. When you make thousands of sticks you get some slight variations, but even though Traditional Lacrosse sticks are made in larger numbers, the general balance and workmanship levels are quite high.

I strung up the two sticks above. The one below was strung after purchasing it in Denver, CO at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championships. I strung the Pita six shooter a couple of months ago.

Your typical, run of the mill wooden stick by TLAX is nice. They are well balanced, and the pockets are well strung, and spaced nicely. They don’t string a super deep pocket, but with a lot of work, you can break it in to a nice formed nest for the ball. It might never be a bag, but those can be tricky in woodies, so unless you can string your own, prepare for some break-in time with these! I would loosen the middle two leathers a little, then hit the wall for hours. Or use a wooden baseball bat to pound the pocket. See baseball bats ARE good for something! At the end of the day, these pockets are well strung, if a little tight initially.

Another thing you’ll want to consider apart from the pocket is shaving down the shaft of the Traditional Lacrosse sticks. They often come quite thick, and while this is great for strength and cross checking, it’s not great for offensive guys, or people who really want to catch and throw with their wooden stick. If you have no idea what shaving a wooden stick is like, check out the below:

This process will take you HOURS to get right. But when you whittle it down well, the difference is notable.

The face shape on the TLAX sticks is narrow, and it’s sort of a medium length. It’s not long like an old Mohawk Manufacturing stick, and it’s not short like a Mike Thompson stick. It’s sort of in the middle, maybe on the shorter end. It reminds me a lot of the Mohawk International Lacrosse sticks made by Mitchell Brothers in shape and size.

One of the really interesting techniques that Traditional Lacrosse has employed is their custom program. They will laser engrave your name or logo on the side of a wooden stick, and while it’s not exactly traditional, it is pretty awesome. It’s a great gift idea, and the best thing is that the engraved sticks are still totally playable. In fact, they should be used… it’s what makes them special!

Check out Traditional Lacrosse’ site for more products and info!

Traditional Lacrosse makes a great, basic wooden stick. If you’re looking to buy your first woodie, or looking for something you can use and beat up, TLAX is a great option. Their pricing is competitive, the product offering is very solid, and their custom program is truly unique in the world of wooden lacrosse sticks.

Back To Roots

Richard Snow, of Wooden Lacrosse Sticks, sits at a traditional carving horse bench while explaining the process by which wooden lacrosse sticks are made. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

LAKE PLACID — Lacrosse is a game steeped in history, with Native Americans inventing the forerunner several hundred years ago. But as with anything, the modern sport is full of space age technology and innovations.

There are a few companies that still make traditional lacrosse sticks, and one of them was set up at the Lake Placid Youth Summit tournament held earlier this week at the North Elba athletic fields. And while — without fail — all the players at the tournament were using modern gear, there was a steady stream of people at the wooden stick table, with kids tossing the ball around with leather, rawhide and hickory sticks.

Richard Snow, of Wooden Lacrosse Sticks, which is based in Philadelphia, said most of their business is online. The company makes its own sticks and also carries those made by other artisans.

“We find all the traditional artists in the area and try to make it a collaboration,”Snow said. “So a one-stop shop basically.”

Snow said his company carries various styles of lacrosse sticks from four different makers, but added they are constantly on the lookout for other stick makers.

A sampling of lacrosse sticks made by different Native American tribes is seen on a table set up by Wooden Lacrosse Sticks earlier this week in the vending area at the North Elba athletic fields. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

While most of the sticks Snow sells are used recreationally at home, he said some of the sticks are competition legal and can be used right alongside modern lacrosse gear.

“The full-size sticks are all game legal, so depending on league rules you can use those in games,”he said. “But the mini-sticks we make — they’re basically fiddlestick size — we basically make those just so kids can have a historical part of the game. They’re a lot cheaper than the full size [because] we want them to really be accessible.”

Snow added that while modern technology has obviously made improvements on lacrosse sticks, there can be an advantage to using a traditional one.

“It feels different,”he said. “You can feel the ball, you feel more connected to the game. I know it sounds cheesy, but as soon as the kids pick them up, it feels right.”

Snow explained that Native Americans, depending on where they were located, used different styles of sticks, some with small, round baskets not much larger than your fist. He said that modern lacrosse sticks are based on the Iroquois style.

He said the process of making a stick can take anywhere from two to six months, depending on the size of the stick, but most of that is letting the wood dry completely. The actual labor time that goes in is closer to 10 hours.

Snow said all the sticks start out as the core of a hickory tree. Once the wood is selected and lathed down to a rough size, it is put into a steamer which allows the wood to be bent into shape. Modern lacrosse stick baskets, which are made of plastic or something similar, are connected on both sides to the shaft. But the wooden sticks, which are just one piece of wood, are shaped more like a hook, with one side of the basket not connected back to the shaft.

Makers use a heavy-duty form and put the steamed wood into it and then clamp it into shape. Snow said this is where the serious time delay in manufacturing occurs, as sticks are left in the mold for months as they are allowed to dry.

Once dry, Snow and his ilk use a carving horse and draw knife to further shape the stick before sanding and finishing it. But that’s only about half the work, since at this point it’s nothing more than an oddly-shaped cane.

The basket is then made from leather and rawhide, and a little bit of boot lace. While the leather and boot lace need to be woven, the real work for the basket is in the rawhide, which is also shaped by hand on a jig. The rawhide is used to connect the end of the curved part of the stick to the shaft, making the basket — and stick — complete.

The sticks were irresistible to kids, many of whom set down their modern sticks to toss a small ball with Native American sticks. The kids may not use the wooden sticks in games that often, but their smiles in front of the tent showed why lacrosse has remained popular for something like 300 years.

Walking stick Hewolf HW-1353 (“OnWolf”)

help the common man. What I personally saw –

– will help almost everywhere.
Since childhood, I remember the Soviet cartoon, where the hedgehog admonished the bunny that the stick is a multi-tasking companion of the tour-tourist. So I was not surprised when I received ONE stick for review (it is in this dosage that the seller parted with them) – the hedgehog was talking about one stick.

But the manufacturer intends the stick, as is clear from the label, as a support for the awning – the hedgehog did not talk about this application, since they were not going to spend the night.

I didn’t expect that it would be easy to fight off the dogs with such a light stick – it’s not as dangerous to live as a hedgehog as a person (the hedgehog has a fallback option – curl up in a ball) – so I used a stick to search for mushrooms. And I don’t have an awning, and there’s no need to unfold it when you’re moving all the time – so I didn’t feel the especially pleasant feelings prepared by the manufacturer from the help of a stick when pitching a tent.
But OnWolk never mentioned mushrooms. But he promised a built-in spring, and diligently painted the clumsy section with his spells.

All the dimensions of the stick declared by the seller coincide with the reality of – it can really be folded up to 51 cm and stretched up to 115 cm.
As expected, the stick’s record dimensions are reached at a tensile strength of : if the stick is fully stretched, then its rigidity is weak.
The handle of the stick is allegedly especially ergonomic, with a durable non-staining lanyard on the “cumpole”, and an unrevealed purpose with a long foam rubber pad on the bottom. I liked the big, stubborn and durable “kumpol” most of all.

A deceitful compass is embedded in the “kumpol” – yes, it reacts to a steel object, but it does not have a free rotation of the card, so it can show where it wants to. The designer seemed to have the right idea, but OnWolf implemented it in his own interests. With such a compass, Little Red Riding Hood will be able to find even more unnecessary adventures!

At the bottom of the stick there is a screw-on conical stop for light soil. The emphasis develops sufficient resistance on the sand, although it is not a huge “bast shoe” – quite a convenient size.

The stick has two tips. A solid 6-pointed star is covered by a rubber heel counter.

I did not understand the hidden symbolism in this form of the tip. Well, yes, is hard – it scratches the bottle, and tile – but it was clearly made with the ability to also drill stone, and in any direction, following the pattern of a bow saw! Why this might be useful to me, I also did not guess – but just in case, I measured the diameter of the tip. Turned out to be 4 mm. The possible drilling depth is the same. In the latest experiments of the reenactors of Ancient Egypt, in drilling holes in granite to recreate the technology of building pyramids, the dimensions of the holes were larger . ..

In general, “OnWolf” is a tricky subject for a person with a Soviet past. In comparison with the Soviet photo tripod, the stick has the exact opposite principle of operation. At the tripod, you need to turn the couplings, and at the “wolf” – the joints.

Moreover, the joints of the stick are easily pulled out. Those. dismantling the stick is easy . I gaped once – and hello, jointer! There is no electrical contact in the links of the stick, so it will not work to use it as an antenna element.

On the one hand, of course, it is convenient to pull out the joint so that “Kisa and Osya…” turn out to be more elegant, but it would be better if this feature did not exist… The photo clearly shows that the margin in length, from the “stop” warning strip, is quite small for the joints.

Accidentally dismantling a pulled out train is also easy – it is fixed only by a lock washer – “OnWolf” is still acting in its own interests!
I finished studying anatomy on the lower joint, measuring, just in case, “but how healthy it was. ”

If you also carry this Soviet photo tripod with you, then sooner or later, the user will break one of the two (a tripod or a stick) – he will confuse the methods of assembling and disassembling these outwardly similar objects.
But even if the user has no memories of such a tripod, then life will not become easier in this case either.
User needs:
– constantly take care not to stretch the joint beyond measure. The “stop” mark can be seen only in good light, the joint does not give any tactile sensations about approaching the stretching threshold;

– twist the joints in strict order;
– turn in the correct directions, which are indicated, but do not stand out from other inscriptions;

– twist smooth joints either with bare hands (I can imagine the sensations in the cold!), Or with leather gloves.
But these are all nit-picking – there are more benefits from a stick than troubles.
In the end, you can adjust it for yourself, and then this very benefit begins.
Walking stick helps , even in one copy – at least one hand starts working, and walking is faster. The spring really softens the blows. Its course is about 3 cm, the rigidity is normal.
Personally, it was most convenient for me to rest the base of my thumb on the “kumpol” itself, and not to check the special ergonomics of the side surface of the handle.

With a lanyard, you can attract some branches of particular interest to you.

If you remember the error, you can measure the height of the seedlings.

It is convenient to stir up the forest floor with a stick, but I did not find a single mushroom.

Probably, you can use it as a selfie stick (did not try it).

Total:
– it is best to buy at least 2 pieces to get the full effect when walking;
– as a support for a tent, it may not come in handy with any style of tent;
– when everything works for a stick, the benefits from it are noticeable, but is inferior to a hedgehog stick .

Product for writing a review provided by the store. The review is published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

types, problems, pros and cons, an overview of companies on the stock exchange available to Russian investors

Evgeny Vorobyov

power engineer

Author profile

There is only talk on the stock exchange about environmental friendliness and ESG.

We have already written a long article about ESG – ethical investments in terms of environmental friendliness, social impact and management. In this article, we will talk about environmental friendliness in more detail.

When people talk about ecology, the first thing they think about is reducing carbon dioxide emissions — decarbonization. But besides decarbonization, there are many other different areas: for example, the conservation of fresh water, the fight against global warming, the conservation of animal populations.

Many of these problems are partially solved by the use of alternative energy sources. In the article, I will consider those types of alternative energy that do not imply a direct impact on the environment – for example, large hydroelectric power plants are not suitable: although they are considered alternative energy, they directly affect the entire ecological environment of rivers, blocking the paths for fish and animals. I will also exclude sources that have little prospect of spreading – for example, there are not many places in the world where you can use the energy of thermal springs or the energy of the ebb and flow.

Let’s talk about the strengths and weaknesses of each of the selected sources, and then consider issuers on the exchange that may be of interest to investors.

/green-energy/

How to make money on green energy

Alternative energy source

Biodiesel, biogas and other substances with methanol or ethanol

The main idea here is to replace traditional fuels with biofuels. At first glance, everything is fine: when burned, biofuel practically does not emit harmful substances into the atmosphere. But there is another problem.

For the production of biofuels, either the waste products of farm animals or sugar-containing and oil-bearing plants are used. At the same time, we see an emerging trend towards environmentally friendly agriculture, including the introduction of artificial meat into our diet.

Classical agriculture requires a huge amount of water. According to the norms of water consumption, on average, one head of cattle needs from 70 to 100 liters of water per day. And for the production of 50-65 m³ of biogas, about a ton of cattle manure is needed. If we take vegetable raw materials, then approximately 200 kg of methanol or ethanol is obtained from a ton of oil. For example, an average modern harvester needs 5 kg/ha of fuel to operate. That is, a ton of oil is enough for about 40 hectares.

Below I have given a table of oil production from various raw materials. The increase in agricultural land threatens us with deforestation, pollution of groundwater with fertilizers and animal waste. Plus, the driving range of a car on this type of fuel is reduced by an average of 20-25%.

/gas/

I switched the car to gas

Standards for water consumption by farm animals. A lot of water is required. Source: Animal Hygiene. Handbook” Average oil production from various raw materials. Source: Wikipedia

As a result, we can conclude that biofuel or biogas is a cleaner type of fuel than traditional gasoline or diesel, but in its production we face a number of problems, such as an increase in crops or a deterioration in the performance of machines, which also affects the environment .

In Brazil, the use of such energy sources is very developed, because the country has experienced oil crises, and this is a good alternative. But Brazil has good climatic conditions for growing almost all types of crops. And yet, at the same time, Brazil is heavily criticized for problems with the hunger of the population and the use of farmland for unethical purposes.

Alternative energy source

Wind power

This is another type of alternative energy, which at first glance has excellent environmental performance – first of all, the complete absence of hydrocarbons in electricity generation.

But, firstly, the use of windmills is not possible everywhere, and secondly, the efficiency of such a station leaves much to be desired: on average, it is about 30%. According to Betz’s law, the maximum utilization factor for wind energy is 0.593. If we take into account the costs of energy conversion and transportation, the maximum possible efficiency will be in the region of 35-45%.

This is due to a long energy production chain: to power an object, you need a 380/220 volt AC network, and the windmill itself produces 24 volts DC – that is, you need an inverter to convert this current.

And you also need to conserve energy when it is not being consumed – for this you need a battery. Energy is lost in each of these links. One mill with a height of 10 meters and a rotor diameter of 1.5 meters produces only about 0.6-0.7 kWh / day of energy, depending on the intensity of the wind. For example: a typical household refrigerator consumes about 0.3 kWh.

/russia-green-energy/

What is happening with renewable energy in Russia

There is also a negative impact on the environment:

1. A large area is needed for a wind farm – this can lead to deforestation and landscape leveling.
2. The operation of the mills creates vibrations at a certain frequency, from which the worms go deeper into the ground. Due to this, the birds have nothing to eat – food chains are broken.
3. A huge number of batteries are needed to save energy. Batteries require rare earth metals, and the mining of these metals is very dirty and harmful to the environment.
4. The graveyard of worn wind blades is a huge problem. They have not yet learned how to properly dispose of the blades of wind turbines.

Alternative energy source

Solar energy

Considered by many to be one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy available today. The bottom line is the principle of a photocell: when light hits a photocell – not necessarily sunlight – electricity is generated. It seems, well, where is it cleaner? But no. There is the same problem with solar power plants as with wind power plants.

The efficiency of solar power plants does not exceed 25-30% due to the same chain as wind farms: they need inverters, batteries for accumulation. Large areas are also needed for the construction of stations. One solar panel with an area of ​​7 m² generates only 6-7 kWh/day. As we discussed above, this is not so much. Plus, they have the same energy conservation problem as wind turbines.

There are still problems with the operation of these stations: hail can damage the panels themselves; semiconductor elements can overheat; it is necessary to increase the cross-sections of the wires – the panels must be placed in sunny places where the temperature can be high, and the higher the temperature, the greater the resistance of the conductors.

/home-solar-power/

Is solar panels profitable? It is necessary to invest primarily in the development of technologies, and not in the introduction of existing ones into the global energy system.

In this regard, I see a future in nuclear energy, because it is one of the cleanest types of energy, except for extreme cases. According to the IEA, the growth in the use of nuclear energy by 2040 will be 28-62%, and according to BP forecasts, by 2050 it will be 42-164%. The spread is large, since some countries, such as China and India, are greatly increasing their production volumes and putting new reactors into operation, while other countries, such as Japan, on the contrary, are reducing it.

I see even greater prospects in the development of gas-fired power plants. Gas is much cleaner than coal or oil, plus the transition of a thermal power plant from another type of fuel to gas is the simplest in practice. Replacing coal-fired capacities with gas ones reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 50-70%.

/guide/oil/

How the oil market works

In our article about alternative energy, graphs were presented that show that, according to forecasts, by 2040 one of the main sources of energy will be gas, and the rest of the clean energy sources in aggregate will lag behind.

Source: IEA Source: IEA

On the other hand, each of the listed sources of alternative energy is very promising in narrowly focused segments.

For example, biodiesel is perfect for agricultural machinery, biogas is great for heating greenhouses or animal housing, and solar panels are good for electric cars: the electronics in the car run on 12-24 volts direct current – the efficiency of such an installation increases significantly because the several links in the production chain.

Overview of companies

In conclusion, I will give examples of companies from each segment of alternative energy discussed in this article. I will consider only those companies that a Russian investor without the status of a qualified investor can buy and which I considered interesting.

NextEra Energy (NEE) is the largest energy company in terms of solar and wind power generation. Probably the main beneficiary of the future Biden infrastructure development program, if it is adopted.

This is a utility company – it doesn’t innovate things or develop software. Her business is very simple, but requires serious investments to expand. That is why the debt is 130% of the capital. Net profitability, according to the latest data, is about 14% – this is an excellent indicator for public utilities, but it is significantly declining: in 2018, net profitability was about 40%, and in 2019 – 20%.

What to do? 06/01/18

How a company can show net profit and huge debt

This is probably due to the price of hydrocarbons, because the higher the price of oil, gas, coal, the more profitable electricity looks like as their alternative. At the current oil price, the company has good prospects to increase its margin again.

According to multiples, the company is very expensive for the utilities sector: P / E = 52. 5; P / S = 8.49. With all this, the company is constantly issuing new shares, diluting the share of shareholders.

SolarEdge Technologies Inc (SEDG) is an Israeli company that designs and manufactures equipment for solar panels. When Biden first came to power and all the alternatives flew into space, this affected the company, but with some excessive zeal.

The company is worth 100 annual profits and 9 revenues – and this is even after a 30% drawdown from the highs. Plus a margin of 10% is, of course, not bad, but for companies with such an assessment, it is insanely small. In general, SolarEdge Technologies has a good systematic growth from year to year. Revenue and share capital are growing, debt is about 60% of capital. In general, this is a good growing business, which, most likely, will continue to develop, but all this is very expensive.

/razum/

How to Valuate a Company

First Solar Inc (FSLR) – in my opinion, this is the company that will receive the lion’s share of investments from the Biden plan. It creates thin-film solar panels, and this is a fairly promising technology in general. The company has very unstable financial flows, but there are no debts.

Already this year they showed a margin of 15%, and if you add government orders here, you get a very good scheme. P / E = 21, everything is fine here, but P / S is a bit high – 3.12. If the company’s management can win tenders and conclude good contracts with the state, then the financial performance will improve and the company’s capitalization will grow. But there are many risks here: many players appear in this market.

Renewable Energy Group Inc (REGI) is engaged in the production of biodiesel. Over the year, the company has already made more than 200%, and at the March peaks it even showed an increase of more than 350%. Even now, by multiples, the company does not look very expensive: P / E = 23, P / S = 1.35. Net Profit Margin is about 6%, which is also the average for the market.

Since 2014, the company’s revenue has been growing, and only in 2020, the coronavirus year, it decreased, but the company remained profitable.