Demand for renewable energy stocks like this is shooting higher as the concept of ‘responsible investing’ takes off. It’s a phenomenon I think could underpin strong share price growth as concerns over the climate emergency steadily grow.

TEEC splashes the cash on low-carbon energy projects across the UK. Its most famous investment is perhaps the acquisition of combined heat and power (CHP+) assets on the Isle of Wight. But it’s steadily building its footprint in the field of hydroelectric power too and late last month spent £26.6m to snap up a cluster of water-based power projects in Scotland.

The UK government has put ‘green’ energy at the heart of its industrial strategy for the next decade. And TEEC could be well-placed to capitalise on such political will. However, it’s worth remembering that a changing of the guard in Westminster could have serious ramifications for shares such as this.

A cybersecurity star

Cybercrime is an increasingly-large problem for individuals and companies all over the globe. As a consequence spending to prevent online attacks is going through the roof. Analysts at Researchandmarkets.com think the global security industry will be worth a staggering $539.8bn by 2030. That compares with the $183.3bn it was estimated at last year.

NCC Group (LSE: NCC) is a cheap UK share I’d buy to make money from this booming sector. It’s been no stranger to profits upgrades in recent months. And in early November it described trading since the beginning of October as “solid”.

News that its acquisition of Iron Mountain’s Intellectual Property Management (IPM) business in June is progressing well could help NCCs share price recover after recent heavy weakness. At 231p per share, NCC has basically lost all the gains it accrued during the past 12 months. However, signs of problems with integrating its new unit could conversely see the software business extend its slide.

Virtually brilliant

I invested in Keywords Studios — a provider of software development services — last year to capitalise on the booming video games market. I think motion capture specialist Oxford Metrics (LSE: OMC) could be another way to effectively ride this train. Trading at its Vicon division is extremely strong, thanks to what it describes as a “buoyant” games sector, and in particular the adoption of Virtual Production by various large production studios.

Virtual Production allows developers to go about their business in both the real and digital worlds. It’s complicated and clever stuff, but all I need to know from an investment perspective is that it’s also lucrative business.

Revenues at Oxford Metrics soared almost 18% in the year to September, to £35.6m. I’d buy this cheap UK share despite the threat posed by the high levels of competition in the tech sector it operates in.

A hangover from Covid-19 lockdowns, a soft pricing environment, and weak car sales owing to supply chain issues have all caused trading to disappoint. It’s possible that some or all of these problems will continue to hamper the dividend stock into 2022 too.

However, as a long-term investor, I’m extremely tempted to buy Sabre shares at current prices. This is primarily because the insurer carries a mighty 6.7% dividend yield for 2022. It’s also because there’s a chance Sabre may have touched rock bottom. And that means premiums may start rising again from next year. It recently commented that “further tentative signs that market prices may be starting to correct.”

I’m also encouraged by Sabre’s potentially-lucrative entry into the motorcycle segment this month. It’s signed a deal to become exclusive underwriter for MCE Insurance, one of the biggest bike insurance distributors in the business.

Going green

The not-so-snappily-titled Triple Point Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Company (LSE: TEEC) is another dividend stock I’m considering buying. And it’s not just because its yield sits at a decent 5.3% for the fiscal year to March 2022. Renewable energy stocks like this could prove to be shrewd assets to own as demand for low-carbon electricity shoots through the roof.

TEEC invests in a broad range of ‘green’ energy projects to help the government hit its net zero target by 2050. Its most recent bit of business in September saw it snap up a portfolio of hydroelectric power projects in Scotland.

Its best-known investment to date is in combined heat and power (or CHP+) assets on the Isle of Wight which supply heat, electricity and carbon dioxide to APS Salads, the UK’s largest producer of tomatoes.

Now TEEC isn’t one of the biggest renewable energy stocks out there. But it has a packed acquisition pipeline that could help it generate big shareholder returns in the future. I’m thinking about buying it even though, like any acquisition-focussed entity, it faces the constant danger of overpaying for an asset.

A brilliant dip buy

The PayPoint (LSE: PAYP) share price has fallen significantly in recent weeks. And as a bargain lover this has set my antenna quivering. The retail technology giant now trades on a P/E ratio of 12 times for the fiscal year to March 2022. Furthermore, its dividend yield has jumped to a mighty 5.8%.

PayPoint makes terminals which allow retailers to execute transactions, receive parcels and take bill payments from customers, and benefit from EPOS functionality. Its technology is cutting edge and demand for its PayPoint One terminals continues to steadily climb. It installed an extra 324 machines during the three months to June.

A high-profile failure of its systems could prove devastating for PayPoint’s profits. But although a past lack of such problems isn’t necessarily a reliable indicator for the future, I’m reassured by the company’s record on this front.