Global investments in clean energy declined 11% last year to $268.7 billion. Countries where investments showed the fastest growth included China, the largest investor, where they increased 20% to $67.7 billion; and Japan, where they jumped 75% to $16.3 billion (excluding R&D). US, German and Brazilian investments plunged 32%, 27% and 32% to $44.2 billion, $22.8 billion and $5.3 billion, respectively. Asset financing of utility-size renewable energy projects declined 17.4% to $148.6 billion, while investments in small-size projects rose 4.8% to $80.2 billion, and corporate and government R&D was slightly higher at $30.2 billion. Venture capital and private equity investments fell 34% to $5.8 billion, and investment in public companies dropped 57% to $5.1 billion. Solar investments, the largest sector, dipped 9% to $142.5 billion, while biomass and waste-to-energy investment, the fourth-largest sector, declined 27% to $9.7 billion. Investments in biofuels, the fifth-largest sector, fell 38% to $4.5 billion.

Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance