SEFI, the Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative (supported by the UN) launched its annual Global Trends Report. Among their findings:
–New investment in sustainable energy has grown 60% since last year, up to $108.4 billion from 92.6 billion in 2007.
–Total investment worldwide in sustainable energy: $204.9 billion
–43% of investment is going into wind; 24% to solar, and 17% to biofuels.
–In 2008, most investors come from the EU, followed by the United States, then China.
Here’s the clincher:
This year, renewable energy operates at 5.4% of its potential global capacity.
5.4%! Time to abandon that underground bunker project you’ve been drafting for your backyard (admit it…) and find a way to invest, start, or contribute to a renewable energy company. 5.4% of global capacity is nothing. In Chinese, so the saying goes, crisis means “danger” and “opportunity.”
According to this report, the opportunity portion is at 94.6%. Renewable energy is still an economic newborn, with all of its potential–and growing pains–ahead of it.
I want to jump on board.
