According to a United Nations report, global investments in renewable energy attracted $155 billion US in 2008, surpassing the investment in carbon-based fuels for the first time. According to the Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009, the 2008 investment was four times higher than in 2004 with $36 billion invested in emerging economies, and $105 billion spent directly developing power generating capacity from wind, solar, small-hydro, biomass and geothermal sources. Wind power attracted the most investment with $51.8 billion, while solar accounted for $33.5 billion. The report was prepared for the UN Environment Program’s Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative. (Source: AFP, June 3, 2009)
Contact: Eric Usher, Energy Branch, SEFI, +33 (0)1 44 37 76 14, eric.usher@unep.fr, Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009, Executive Summary