Each week I recap the results of the WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation Index, symbol NEX, and published by New Energy Finance Ltd. The index consists of approximately 90 stocks from 22 countries. The NEX is the tracking index for the PowerShares Global Clean Energy Portfolio ETF (PBD: 9.68 0.00 0.00%). For reference, the NEX has a 52 week high of 436.21 and closed 2008 at 177.99.

For the week ending at market close on Monday the NEX gained 8.7%, finishing at 176.53. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 were up 6.5% and 5.4% for the same period. All sectors in the index were in positive territory for the week.

The solar energy sector was the top performer, jumping 14.9%. A big part of the surge came on the big returns from U.S. based GT Solar and German company Solon. Wind energy, the other largest sector in the index along with solar, was up 8.2%. ‘Renewable-other’, which is mostly micro-hydro and geothermal companies was the lagging sector, up only 1.8%. The decline of Swiss mini-hydro company BKW offset the gains of the rest of the sector.

Here are the top and bottom performing stocks from the NEX for the week:

NEX top gainers since 03 Feb 09
GT Solar International SOLR + 65.7%
Solon SOO1 + 29.8%
Epistar 2448 + 22.5%
Centrotherm Photovoltaics CTN + 20.6%
JA Solar Holdings JASO + 20.6%

NEX top losers since 03 Feb 09
Energy Developments ENE - 16.3%
Evergreen Solar ESLR - 14.5%
Climate Exchange CLE - 13.5%
Echelon ELON - 13.3%
BKW FMB Energie BKWN – 12.6%