This article is part of an occasional MDM series on alternative energy markets.

Distributors and manufacturers responding to a recent MDM survey seemed practical in their approach to opportunities in alternative energy markets.

Some said they were not interested in going after these markets, not knowing where they were headed. But others were more optimistic, saying the niche is a growing one, will likely grow for some time, and they want a piece of the pie. As one manufacturer said: “The growth rate is hard to ignore.”

The growth rate may be hard to ignore, but with a rapid growth rate comes growing pains. And as detailed in the Sept. 10 issue of MDM, no one knows whether that growth rate will be sustainable leaving many to question how much and when they should invest in the space.