The European figure fell to $9.5 billion (£6.3 billion), the continent’s lowest quarter total for more than six years and 44 per cent down on the previous quarter.
US investment leapt 155 per cent to $9.5 billion (£6.3 billion) from a weak first quarter, while China was up 63 per cent to $13.8 billion (£9.2 billion) and South Africa up from “almost nothing” to $2.8 billion (£1.9 billion).
Global investment grew 22 per cent quarter-on-quarter but at $53.1 billion remained lower than Q2 2012.
Michael Liebreich, chief executive of BNEF, said: “These figures
are a mixture of sweet and sour. On the sour side, 2013 globally is still running below 2012, which was itself down on the 2011 investment record. And European investment is clearly being hit by cuts in support for renewable energy and by policy uncertainty, notably ahead of the German election in September.
“On the sweet side, the US is back in business following the hiatus that resulted from fears about the possible expiry of the Production Tax Credit for wind at the end of 2012. And the 50% rally in clean energy share prices since their lows last summer, with rises of 200% or more for Tesla Motors and a clutch of major wind and solar manufacturers, is rekindling – at least for the moment – the appetite of stock market investors for equity raisings.”