Alt-Energy ETFs Enjoy Gains in August

August may not be the month when investors finally reach consensus that "green" investments are for real. But the gains enjoyed in August by a half dozen alternative energy exchange-traded funds might attract some converts to the notion that they could one day be a permanent part of the investment landscape.

While the Standard & Poor's 500 struggled to hold onto a gain of 1.2% in August and the only traditional energy funds that advanced were of the "inverse" variety, the six alternative energy funds in the accompanying table enjoyed gains of at least double the magnitude of the S&P.

The advances in August of the alt-energy ETFs represented major reversals from setbacks the group had suffered earlier this year. ...