In his latest article for Forbes.com, Validea CEO John Reese takes a look at natural gas stocks, which stand to benefit in the wake of a rise in anti-nuclear sentiment following the events in Japan.

“While numerous questions remain about the fallout — both literal and figurative — of the nuclear reactor leaks in Japan, one thing seems certain: The tragic events are increasing anti-nuclear-power sentiment across the globe,” Reese writes. “Given the renewed fears about the use and expansion of nuclear power, it’s quite possible that we’ll see many countries turn away from nuclear endeavors, increasing demand for other energy sources. And, with alternative fuels like wind and solar power still trying to build infrastructure and become more cost-effective, it’s likely that fossil fuels would be the recipient of much of the increased demand.”

Reese notes that top strategist and Forbes columnist Kenneth Fisher has been talking up natural gas for several months, because of new breakthroughs in “fracking” technology that Fisher says will keep natural gas cheap for a long time. Natural gas is also abundant in the U.S., and is cleaner than other power sources like coal, he adds.

Reese looks at five natural gas-related stocks that pass his James O’Shaughnessy-based “Guru Strategy”. (His O’Shaughnessy-based 10-stock portfolio has averaged returns of 9.9% annualized since its July 2003 inception vs. just 3.6% for the S&P 500.) Among the picks: Atmos Energy and Royal Dutch Shell. To read the full article, click here.