Solar Surpasses Wind as Top Renewable Energy Investment
Not only did solar installations soar in the US this past quarter, but solar surpassed wind as the top renewable energy investment worldwide in 2011, according to twin reports from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).

Solar attracted almost twice as much investment as did wind, jumping 52% to $147 billion, led by booming rooftop PV installations in Italy and Germany. Small-scale PV also spread in countries like the UK and China and there were significant investments in large-scale concentrating solar projects in Spain and the US.

On the other hand, it was a mixed bag for solar venture capital
and stocks on the public markets have been crushed because of falling subsidies and the impact of oversupply and low prices on manufacturers.