After a Record, Renewables Falter

摘要

For the first time, worldwide investment in clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, and geothermal outpaced spending on new plants powered by coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels in 2008. The total-$155 billion-rose 5% over 2007, setting an all-time investment record. But 2009 is unlikely to beat-or even match-that. The ongoing market collapse continues to cripple spending in 2009, says Ethan Zindler,rnhead of North American research at New Energy Finance, a market analysis firm that recently released Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009 in collaboration with REN21, a U.N. -affiliated think tank. The financial freeze through the first half of 2009 has sharply slowed spending in renewables. While investment may yet rebound, total spending this year is all but certain to fall, adds Zindler, perhaps by as much as 39%.