Renewable energy investments continued to grow in 2010, according to the latest “Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment” report. In 2010, $211 billion was spent on renewable energy, an increase of almost a third due to stimulus funding, new guidelines, wind farm development and small-scale rooftop solar PV installation. Asset financing grew 19% to $128 billion, public market spending increased 23% to $15.4 billion and venture capital jumped 59% to $2.4 billion. Renewable energy R&D soared 40% to $9 billion. Government spending on R&D jumped 121% to $5.3 billion as a result of stimulus funding. However, corporate spending on R&D fell 12% to $3.3 billion. Solar R&D spending increased 8% to $3.6 billion, and biofuels R&D spending doubled to $2.3 billion. Government R&D spending increased 27% in Asia and Oceania, excluding China and India, the most among all regions, to reach $4.7 billion.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme and Bloomberg New Energy Finance