Utilities provide a return and a way to play green energy. And their stocks are cheap.

A stocky powerhouse with chimneys may not be what environmentally conscious investors have in mind when looking for stocks. Yet electric utilities are at the center of a seismic shift from coal to wind and solar power over the next 15 years. This is expected to be a huge boon for the environment and investors – and utility company stocks and funds are a cheap way to connect with this critically important transition.

Within the next decade, clean energy sources such as wind and solar power are expected to provide …