China retains global top spot for clean energy investment

Offshore wind projects attracted significant global investment in 2014, said there port.

There were at least seven European, billion-dollar offshore wind projects reaching what it called the "final investment decision" stage including the $3.8 billion, 600-mW Gemini wind farm off the Netherlands coast-the largest non-hydro renewable energy project on record in terms of dollars committed.

Small distributed capacity investment also soared last year, predominantly in rooftop solar, to $73.5 billion, a 34 percent rise on 2013.

There port showed that research and development by governments and corporations totaled $29 billion, while asset finance of energy smart technologies such as smart meters came in at $16.8 billion.

Fact file

Clean energy investment growth in 2014

· China: up 32%to $89.5b,

· Europe: up 1%to $66b,

· the US: up 8%to $51.8b,

· Japan: up 12% to $41.3b,

· Canada: up 26% at $9b,

· Brazil: up 88% at $7.9b,

· India: up 14%to $7.9b,

· South Africa: up 5% at $5.5b.