According to the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018 report issued by the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre, global investment in renewable energies exceeded US$200bn for the eighth year in a row. A total of US$280bn was spent in renewables excluding large hydro power in 2017, and a record capacity of 157 GW came onstream (143 GW in 2016, +9.7%), which is much more than the 70 GW of fossil-fuelled capacity added.
China led global renewable investment, with a record amount of US$127bn (+31% on 2016 and 45% of the total), while renewable investment dipped in the United States (-6% to US$40.5bn) and in Europe (-36% to US$41bn), due to a decline in the United Kingdom (-65% to US$7.6bn). Investments also decreased in India (-20% to US$10.9bn).
The trend was dominated by solar power and 98 GW of new capacity were installed in 2017 (38% of the total), far more than any other technology. Since 2004, approximately US$2,900bn have been invested in green energy sources, mainly in solar and wind power.
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