Global clean energy investment: US$145bn

Soaring investment in Asia for clean energy pushed the continent beyond the total of the Americas last year, reports Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Although total new investment slipped 6.5% from the peak of US$155 billionn in 2008, it declined by less than had appeared likely, the report explains.

The key reason for this resilience was the buoyant investment in Asia, particularly in the wind energy sector in China.

Last year, for the first time, total new financial investment in clean energy in Asia-Oceania reached US$37.3bn, ahead of the Americas at US$32bn.

Europe, Middle East and Africa continued to lead the world with US$42.2bn of clean energy investment but, while new financial investment fell 14% in the EMEA region in 2009, and dropped 25% in the Americas, it increased by 25% in Asia-Oceania and was driven mainly by the wind energy sector.

Renewable Energy Focus