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| (Courtesy Worldwatch Institute) |
Emerging from the global economic recession, investments in renewable energy technologies continued their steady rise in 2011. Total new investments in renewable power and fuels (excluding large hydropower and solar hot water) jumped 17 percent—reaching $257 billion, up from $220 billion in 2010.
Solar surpassed wind in total investment, and for the first time by a wide margin. Biofuels, which as recently as 2006 held the second overall ranking in technologies, attracted the fourth highest total investment in 2011 at $6.8 billion, followed by $5.8 billion for small hydro and $2.9 billion for geothermal installations.
