China top for clean energy investment

China remains the world leader in low-carbon energy investment, a global study has shown.

China invested $54.4bn (£34.1bn) in 2010, up from $39.1bn in 2009.

The report, published by US Pew Environment Group, outlined that as well as attracting the most investment, China was also the world's leading producer of wind turbines and solar energy units.

Worldwide, the sector attracted $243bn of investment, a 30% increase from 2009. The report found that 40GW of wind and 17GW of solar energy were installed during 2010, taking the total global clean power capacity to 388GW.

However, the UK slipped outside the top 10 as investment fell by 70% in 2010.

Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew's Clean Energy Program, said:

"Our research consistently demonstrates that strong policies attracts investments."

"Nations like China, Germany and India, which all saw increases, were attractive to financiers because they have national policies that create long-term certainty for investors."

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