Greentech Media

The strong earnings shouldn't come as a surprise in a worldwide shortage of silicon wafers that has boosted prices -- and margins for companies that make it.

Wacker said its polysilicon segment made up the strongest earnings growth in the quarter.

The group also raised its forecast for sales for the full year to 14 percent, up from previous guidance of 10 percent.

On the Frankfurt exchange, Wacker shares (WCH) rose 9.6 percent on the news to €191.62 per share.

Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. shares (NYSE: YGE) also rose 2.4 percent Thursday after the company posted a net income of RMB179 million (about $23.9 million), or RMB1.38 per share (about 18 cents), almost double the income of RMB63.2 million, or RMB38 cents, in the second quarter.

Energy Bill Debates

In late June, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the energy bill, and in August, the House of Representatives passed its version. But Congress is yet to create a unifying legislation that could pass in both houses and be sent on to the president.

As folks debate the legislation's future, Steve McBee, CEO of consulting firm McBee Strategic, said Congress will pass some form of the bill before the November 2008 election -- and it will have items sure to put some smiles on greentech investors' faces.

McBee made his case during a keynote address at the Pacific Growth Equities' Clean Technology and Industrial Conference in San Francisco this week.

"When you got $95-and-heading-north oil, and $3 gas prices heading north, those are some pretty heavy-duty political drivers," he said. "I think nobody, Democrats or Republicans, want to face the voters in November without looking like they are doing something meaningful to address those issues."

But it won't be easy. McBee said the debate on the energy bill's major provisions – such as increasing vehicles' fuel economy or renewable-fuel standards -- are going to be fiercely contested by both sides.

"Not just because there is a lot of stake in the short term, in terms of creating winners and losers," he said. "But I think all sides very much view the energy debate as proxy battle for climate change, which is sort of where all the stakes are."

And presidential hopefuls already have started outlining how the country's energy policy will look should he or she be elected (see Hillary Seeks Green Vote and Government VC).

For a snapshot of where presidential candidates sit on energy policy, check out the League of Conservation Voters' list.