Goldman Sachs Promises to Invest $40 Billion in Renewable Energy

Goldman Sachs (GS) have just announced that they plan to invest $40 billion in renewable energy projects over the next ten years. According to Reuters, renewable energy is "an area the investment bank called one of the biggest profit opportunities since its economists got excited about emerging markets in 2001."

They invested more than $4.8 billion in clean technology companies around the globe in 2011, so an average of $4 billion a year is actually a decrease, but GS see the potential for great profits as growing economies such as China, Brazil, India, and Europe are looking to implement strong renewable energy policies.

Reuters said that "the bank's new $40 billion target applies to investments and financings for solar, wind, hydro, biofuels, biomass conversion, energy efficiency, energy storage, green transportation, efficient materials, LED lighting and transmission."

Stuart Burnstein, the head of Goldman's clean technology and renewables investment banking group, described the investment opportunity presented by renewable energies as being similar to that of the technology industry back in the 1990's.

Kyung-Ah Park, the head of the environmental markets at Goldman Sachs, has admitted that the current renewable energy market is not as strong as it was because the global financial crisis has forced government to reduce subsidies for alternative energy programs and fracking technology has led to an abundance of cheap natural gas which has undermined alternative energy sources. "Obviously we recognize this is not the easiest of times in the clean energy market but nevertheless the underlying thesis as to why cleaner and more sustainable forms of energy need to scale up still holds true."

By. James Burgess of Oilprice.com