The debate over global warming continues to rage, and with numerous large clean-energy options gathering momentum, 2014 could be a year hot with policy changes.

Regardless of your position on the global-warming issue, carbon extraction will cost you. ExxonMobil added CO2 emission costs to its recently released The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040. Stranded carbon assets are also a real risk faced by oil, natural gas, and coal companies if additional costs are added to the extraction of the hydrocarbons. 

And no matter your stance on global warming, clean-energy sources would be welcomed if their prices were comparable to those derived from hydrocarbons. The year 2014 could be the start of competitive solar energy, with solar costs being halved since 2010. Additionally, the spread of residential solar leasing from companies like SolarCity (SCTY.DL) and SunPower (SPWR -1.02%) have allowed customers to access solar-powered electricity cheaper than they could secure from local utilities.

Surely, 2014 could be the start of the green revolution, and both sides of the global-warming debate can agree the trend is beneficial for everyone. 

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This segment is from Tuesday's edition of "Digging for Value," in which sector analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman discuss energy and materials news with host Alison Southwick. The twice-weekly show can be viewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can also be found on Twitter, along with our extended coverage of the energy and materials sectors @TMFEnergy.