Crude recently hit a new high, topping $114 a barrel, a rise of more than 80% since April 2007. Thanks to a combination of high energy prices — fueled in part by turmoil in the Middle East — and oil supply instability amid ballooning energy demand from within its shores and other emerging economies, China has placed alternative energy at the top of its national agenda.

One company that has positioned itself to take advantage of a shifting pro-alternative energy political climate in Beijing is China Solar & Clean Energy Solutions, Inc. (OTC:CSOL). Formerly  Beijing Deli Solar Technology Development Co., Ltd., China solar is a Connecticut-based company that designs, manufactures and distributes solar hot water heaters, coal-fired space heating systems (boilers, furnaces and stoves), and biomass (waste heat recovery) products for residential, industrial and public works uses in China. It also sells related components and parts, and provides after-sale services for their product lines. The solar hot water business accounts for about 45% of revenues, biomass operations make up 30%, and the coal-fired space heater side of the business pulls in the remaining 25%. 

According to the China Solar Energy Society, solar heaters are 75% cheaper to operate than their gas and electric counterparts, have a 20% to 30% longer life span and are three times as efficient as electronic heaters (and nearly twice as efficient as gas-fueled models). China Solar is rapidly expanding its line of solar water heaters to capitalize on what it sees as a $2.7 billion market

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