Global Renewable Energy Investments Continue to Grow

Global Renewable Energy Investments Continue to Grow

New Worldwatch Institute report examines the rise in global investments in renewable energy, despite the recent economic recession

Category: Investment, Renewable Energy

News about Worldwatch Institute

Washington, D.C. - October 11, 2012 (Investorideas.com renewable energy/green newswire) Emerging from the global economic recession, investments in renewable energy technologies continued their steady rise in 2011, with total new investments in renewable power and fuels (excluding large hydropower and solar hot water) reaching $257 billion, up from $220 billion in 2010. In a year marked by falling costs for renewable energy technologies, net investment in renewable power capacity was $40 billion greater than investment in fossil fuel capacity, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute's Climate and Energy program (www.worldwatch.org) for the Institute's Vital Signs Online service.

Total renewable energy investments in industrial countries in 2011 accounted for 65 percent of global investment, increasing 21 percent to $168 billion overall. In contrast, the 35 percent of global new investment that went to developing countries increased 10 percent, to $89 billion. Of that sum, China , India , and Brazil accounted for $71 billion in total investment. Investment in India grew 62 percent----the highest growth rate for any single country over 2010 totals. In 2011, "financial new investment" in renewable energy installations (a category that excludes small-scale projects and R&D) in industrial countries outpaced investments in the developing world, but in 2010 investments in this category in developing countries had surpassed those in industrial countries for the first time.

A major development in 2011 was the dominance of solar power in technology-specific investments----driven by a 50 percent reduction in price over the year----with $147.4 billion invested in solar compared with $83.8 billion for wind projects and $10.6 billion for biomass and waste-to-energy technology. Although this was not the first time solar surpassed wind in total investment, it was the first time that this involved such a wide margin. Biofuels, which as recently as 2006 held the second overall ranking in renewable energy technologies, attracted the fourth highest total investment in 2011 at $6.8 billion, followed by $5.8 billion for small hydro and $2.9 billion for geothermal installations. Marine energy technologies received only $200 million, as they have not yet been commercially deployed.

China attracted $52.2 billion in new investments in 2011, the largest sum of any country. This accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total new investments in developing countries and more than 20 percent of the global total. In terms of the pace of growth, however, the United States scored an impressive 57 percent growth in investment over 2010 levels, outpacing all countries except India 's 62 percent. Overall, the United States ranks second in total national renewable energy investment at $50.8 billion, followed by Germany at $31 billion.

The International Energy Agency projects that 90 percent of the growth in global energy demand during the next 25 years will come from developing countries. Investments in renewable energy already constitute the major part of "climate finance" funds designed to help developing countries meet development challenges. Significant new investment in cleaner sources of energy will be required to reduce the share of fossil fuels in the world's total primary energy consumption in order to keep greenhouse gas emissions low enough to maintain the global temperature change within a 2-degrees-Celsius warming scenario. According to IEA estimates, $48 billion per year is needed to provide universal modern electricity access by 2030.

"Renewable energy technologies can enhance access to reliable, affordable, and clean modern energy services," said Evan Musolino, Climate and Energy Research Associate and report co-author. "They are particularly well suited for remote rural populations, and in many instances they can provide the lowest-cost option for energy access. For these potentials to be met, new investment in the sector is essential."

Further highlights from the report:

• Driven by 52 percent growth, solar technologies led all renewable energy investment by technology, taking over the top spot previously held by the wind sector.
• Investments in small-scale distributed generation power projects (with capacities of less than 1 megawatt) grew by 25 percent to $75.8 billion in 2011.
• Total R&D investment in renewable energy technologies fell 16 percent to $8.3 billion in 2011; investments in venture capital and private equity fell by 6 percent to $5 billion in 2011; while asset financing----an indicator of current sector activity----amounted to $164 billion in 2011, an increase from $139 billion in 2010.
• Initial trends from the first two quarters of 2012 indicate that investment in the renewables sector has fallen behind the impressive pace set last year.

About the Worldwatch Institute:

Worldwatch is an independent research organization based in Washington , D.C. that works on energy, resource, and environmental issues. The Institute's State of the World report is published annually in more than 18 languages. For more information, visit www.worldwatch.org.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire and its syndicated partner network

News now!

Get Investorideas.com investor news and stock alerts
Free Sign Up: http://www.investorideas.com/Resources/Newsletter.asp

Disclaimer: The following news is paid for and /or published as information only for our readers.

Investorideas.com is a third party publisher of news and research. Our sites do not make recommendations, but offer information portals to research news, articles, stock lists and recent research. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. This site is currently compensated by featured companies, news submissions and online advertising. If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact the company listed in the press release.

Investorideas.com Disclaimer: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp

Investorideas.com Disclosure: http://www.investorideas.com/About/News/Clientspecifics.asp

BC Residents and Investor Disclaimer: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894