Renewable Energy at $254 Billion? Let's Make It a Clean Trillion
Billionaire bankers gathered at the United Nations yesterday to call for more investment in renewable energy -- $1 trillion a year, to be exact.
It won’t be easy. Global investment in renewable energy fell 12 percent in 2013 to $254 billion, according to data released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), casting a shadow over the notion of a “clean trillion.”
Last year was the second decline in renewable investments since 2011’s record-high $318 billion. Investors and climate-policy advocates including hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin called for changes to financial markets that would boost investment. Financing must double by 2020 and double again to $1 trillion by 2030 in order to avoid global warming of more than 2 degrees Celsius, reports Ceres, the host of yesterday's conference.
These top-line numbers are fuzzy and paint a picture that’s perhaps more bleak than reality. First, the price of solar energy continues to tumble, so more renewable energy is being generated with fewer dollars invested. Second, while BNEF’s clean-energy tally is the most comprehensive for renewable energy, it’s not all-encompassing; it doesn’t include most energy-efficiency measures, fuel-efficiency gains or expanded public transportation.
Comments (0)
This post does not have any comments. Be the first to leave a comment below.
Featured Product

NATURE'S GENERATOR POWERHOUSE
Offers a maximum power output of 120V/240V 7200Watt and can power almost anything. Whether it is 120 Volts or 240 Volts, Powerhouse can single-handedly address all your home power requirements. The Nature's Generator is a solar generator built to be used anywhere, anytime. Power is supplied by our very own Power Panels and Wind Turbines, and can be connected to your home power. We ensure a clean charge without sacrificing any power, so you can stay connected wherever life takes you.