Despite Credit Crunch, Global Clean Tech Investment Up 60 Percent

(MoneyWatch)  (Note: This is a post submitted by BNET member Jeff Davis. To submit your own post, click here.)

The United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP) last week released an exhaustive new report on global investment in clean energy showing that clean tech has the kind of momentum that not even the current recession or credit crunch can slow down. The report tallied up all investment activity for 2007, showing that new clean-tech investments came to $148 billion worldwide, a 60 percent jump from the same figure in 2006.

Among other highlights in the report:

• Not surprisingly, Europe continues to be the biggest recipient of clean energy dollars (er, euros), with $55 billion in new investment, compared to $26.5 billion from the United States.
• BRIC is catching up fast: Since 2004, China, Brazil, and India's collective share of investment has climbed from 12% to 22% -- from $1.8 billion to some $26 billion.
• Wind energy investment is still the biggest draw, with $50.2 billion in new investment, accounting for 43 percent overall.
• Solar investment "also increased its share to 24 percent, from 16 percent in 2006, overtaking biofuels, which was the second most popular sector that year with 26 percent of new investment."

Check out the 68-page report from UNEP for yourself with free registration.


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