What future for renewables investment?
Cutting subsidies from clean-energy projects has hurt banks and private equity investors – but there are still opportunities
Clean energy has been a boon for venture capitalists and private-equity firms with money to splash in the market in recent years—and output has followed. Last year, falling costs led to a record rise in renewable capacity globally. Investors ploughed more money into the sector than they did in fossil fuels. As BNP Paribas's Mark Muldowney told the Bloomberg New Energy Finance's (BNEF) summit in London this week, investing in renewables is "the right thing to do, but also it's a great business opportunity". But the happy overlap between the profitable and the ethical may be coming to an end. In 2008, private-equity and venture-capital investment in clean energy hit $12.4bn. It fell to a low o
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal
