Green investing , Is it the wave of the future ?

[TreeHugger]

I see so many companies touting the fact that they are getting more green . Do you think that investing green will be like the new silicon valley of investment possibilities ?

[kymsolaris]

Here is an interesting article on green investing globally:

China, US Tie As Most Attractive For Green Investment - Report


LONDON -(Dow Jones)- China is now tied with the U.S. as the most attractive location for investing in renewable energy projects, Ernst & Young said in a report published Thursday.

China has climbed two points in the consultancy's Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices, having invested a total of $34.6 billion into clean energy projects in 2009. The figure is almost double the U.S. and China is already the global leader in installed wind power capacity last year, the report said.

"China's consistently strong performance underlines its determination to robustly align energy and industrial policy as it seeks to build a dominant position in the global market for technology manufacture and supply," said Ernst & Young's Environment and Energy Infrastructure Advisory Leader Ben Warren.

The U.S. has dropped a point on the fact that the climate and clean energy bill is unlikely to be passed before the November mid-term elections.

The U.K. has risen two points following government plans to launch a GBP2 billion Green Investment Bank and approval of a GBP1 billion upgrade to the U.K.'s electricity network to boost renewable energy integration.

"While the intention to press ahead with plans to create a Green Investment Bank is welcome, it must get to work quickly. Clarity is urgently needed around where and how public funds can be found, how private sector capital can be effectively leveraged, and what types of investments the GIB will make," Warren added.

In the rest of Europe, the picture is mixed, with a number of economies struggling after the sovereign debt crisis to justify the cost of deploying more renewables. However, the E.U.'s moves toward increasing the emissions targets to a 30% cut from a 20% cut by 2020 based on 1990 levels could help the region's leadership position in moving to a low-carbon economy, the report said.

Meanwhile, India has risen by two points following the government's injection of more than $1 billion into the green economy and the unveiling of plans for up to 4 gigawatts of wind capacity and 1 gigawatt of solar power to be installed in the short to medium term.

Greece, Spain and Portugal have all suffered negative score changes due to worsening capital markets and a downwards revision of sovereign credit ratings by Standard & Poors. The first few months of 2010 was also a difficult period for Australia, which dropped two points following the delay in the planned emission trading scheme until after 2012.

-By Selina Williams, Dow Jones Newswires +44 207 842 9262; selina.williams@ dowjones.com