
Clean energy investments worldwide reached a record $260 billion in 2011, which was up 5 percent from the previous year, according to a recently released report.
Bloomberg New Energy Finance announced that the United States overtook China as the No. 1 country for clean energy investment for the first time since 2008.
Investments in solar energy grew by more than one-third despite many issues surrounding the green energy technology, including decreasing profit margins, bankruptcies and flagging share prices, Bloomberg reported.
"For every equipment company operating at thin or negative margins, there is an installer who is getting a good deal,” Michael Liebreich, chief executive of New Energy Finance, said. “Rumors of the death of clean energy have been greatly exaggerated.”
An increase in photovoltaic installation in the United States overcame falling prices, which made more development possible for solar and wind energy.
Energy smart technologies, such as smart grid, energy storage and efficiency recorded $19.2 billion in investments while biofuels received $9 billion.
In a separate study recently released, Bloomberg New Energy Finance found the global carbon market expanded 10 percent between 2010 and 2011.

