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
8 December 2025
The Caribbean country’s role in the global oil market is significantly diminished, but disruptions caused by outright conflict would still have implications for US Gulf Coast refineries
5 December 2025
Mistaken assumptions around an oil bull run that never happened are a warning over the talk of a supply glut
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
