Renewable energy rebounds strongly in 2014. World clean energy investment, hydro-electric not included, rebounded strongly in 2014, boosted by demand for solar photovoltaics, according to the latest report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Investment rose 16% last year to $310 billion, compared with $268.1 billion in 2013. This rise was far higher than the 10% expected but investment was still below the 2011 record of $317 billion. By way of comparison, ten years ago, in 2004, investment stood at only $60.2 billion. The jump in investment in 2014 reflected strong performances in many of the main centres for clean energy deployment, states the BNEF, underlining that investment in green energy still is largely dependent on public policy. China was the top investor in renewable energy, with investment up 32% to a record $89.5 billion. The US recorded an 8% rise to $51.8 billion, Japan was up 12% to $41.3 billion, Canada was up 26% at $9 billion, Brazil rose 88% to $7.9 billion, India rose 14% to $7.9 billion, and South Africa was up 5% at $5.5 billion. Europe, despite the flurry in offshore wind, was a relative dull spot overall, with investment edging 1% higher to $66 billion. Performance varied from country to country. In the United Kingdom and Germany investment rose by 3% to $15.2 billion and $15.3 billion respectively. In France, investment rose 26% to $7 billion. Big offshore wind deals drove the figure for the Netherlands up 232% to $6.7 billion, but investment in Italy fell 60% to $2 billion. The solar sector accounted for almost half of total clean energy investment in 2014, thanks to huge projects, such as the Setouchi Mega PV project in Japan (estimated $1.1 billion for 250MW capacity) or the Xina Solar One solar thermal plant in South Africa ($1 billion for 100MW). Small-scale projects, such as rooftop photovoltaic installations, also played their part in the rise with growth of 34%. Wind power also performed well, attracting investment of almost $100 billion last year. Offshore wind projects, in particular, helped the growth of this sector, with no fewer than seven major projects in Europe, including the $3.8 billion, 600MW Gemini array off the Netherlands (the largest non-hydro renewable energy project on record in terms of dollars committed), the $2.6 billion, 402MW Dudgeon project in UK waters, and the $1.7 billion, 350MW Wikinger undertaking in the German area of the Baltic Sea. (IL)