Fossil or Green Energy Stocks: Which is the Better Investment? In the 2020s, investors are torn between two schools of thought. On one side are your parents and grandparents, who did just fine over the years investing in classic energy companies like Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX), and Occidental Petroleum (OXY). On the other hand, new energy firms like Tesla (TSLA), Plug Power (PLUG), and First Solar (FSLR) are grabbing the headlines and capturing the attention of younger traders. Picking between fossil fuel drillers and clean fuel businesses isn''t a political decision, but a practical one.