With the Democratic National Convention in full swing, expect much attention focused on alternative energy, Cleantech and environmental issues. After all, House Speaker Pelosi has mentioned that her goal is to save the planet and Al Gore will show up and do his usual speech on how global warming will destroy the planet if we don’t do anything ASAP. I don’t want my cynicism to show through but have the DNC and Obama’s organizers taken any measures to ensure that this convention is environmentally friendly? How much energy is being used to run the event? Just asking.

Anyway, a great article out in the Jpost today about how Israel is on the way to being a world leader in Cleantech. While Shai Agassi’s electric car initiative has gained many headlines around the world, Israel is also very quietly making strong inroads, in solar and water technologies. The article focuses on how Israel is developing the technology for the purpose of letting larger nations do the implementation. Much like the current technological revolution, Israel has been behind many of the advances that have powered us forward. The view is that Cleantech will be Israel’s next boom industry as technologies will be developed that power a move away from crude oil towards alternative energy sources.

The article quotes Isaac Berzin, an expert in using algae to curb greenhouse gases: “Israel should be a world leader - creating the solutions the world is looking for. Investments are coming to Israel [as a result] and lots of jobs are created. Let’s say you develop a major solar technology, which is cost effective etc. What’s the demand for electricity in Israel? A small fraction of world demand. If your only output is Israel then you are in trouble. Hi-tech was great for Israel. Where were the markets? Out there, which is absolutely fine.”

It’s interesting that the one thing Israel lacks is natural resources. The one thing Israel has loads of is brainpower, ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Isn’t it ironic that Israel is using its’ main resource to try and level the economic playing field by developing technology that will greatly lessen the need for natural resources.

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Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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Even with predictions of crude oil hitting $200-300 per barrel, the current drop in crude has it moving very quickly down to the $100 level. While investors have been focused on how the drop in oil will impact oil related stocks, I think they need to take a bit more of a Macro view and look at the impact on emerging market investing. The first country that comes to mind is Brazil. Brazil has been one of the world’s best performing markets so far this year, but a drop in crude prices may severely impact their market going forward as so much market weighting is given to companies in the oil industry.  To a lesser extant this applies to Latin America as a whole.

With crude prices dropping it wouldn’t be too surprising for other commodity prices to follow suit. So much emerging market economic growth has centered around the huge run up in commodity prices, as many of these countries are blessed with rich supplies of raw materials. Russia and other natural resource based economies like Australia, and even Canada could be in for a rude awakening if we get a continued drop off in commodity prices.

So which emerging markets will benefit? I think Israel is one. Blessed with little in the way of natural resources, but with an abundance of creative and entrepreneurial people, Israel will continue to produce cutting edge innovation that powers the technological revolution that we are in the midst of. I wouldn’t be surprised to see rotation in emerging market investments with natural resource based economies being under-weighted and countries that produce value added goods, be over-weighted.

Aaron Katsman, IsraelNewsletter.com

Disclosure: Author’s fund has no positions in any stock mentioned as of 7/23/08.

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Aaron Katsman is Managing Editor of the Israel Opportunity Investor newsletter. He is lead portfolio manager for the Israel Growth Portfolio and Managing Director of America Israel Investment Associates, LLC. For more information, go to www.israelnewsletter.com or call 1-888-327-6179, or email aaron@profile-financial.com.

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