Goldman Sachs boosts Indian renewable energy investment

Infuses US$135 million more into Indian wind farm company.

US investment giant Goldman Sachs’ additional funding into Mumbai-based ReNew Wind Power follows last month’s pledge to invest up to US$487 million in JRE, a Japanese solar power generation company.

The additional US$135 million ReNew investment will take Goldman’s total to US$385 million invested out of a possible US$500 million earmarked by the company. Both ReNew and JRE will use borrowings of about three times the equity value to fund projects.

Analysts said private equity venture capital interest in renewable energy is rising, particularly in India and Japan, after it slowed in Asia in 2012. Just US$153 million was invested last year after more than US$700 million each in 2010 and 2011.

The slowdown came as the end of subsidies in parts of Europe worsened the global overcapacity in wind turbine and solar panel production.

Experts expect US$20 billion will be invested in photovoltaic systems for 5.4 gigawatts of capacity this year, almost double the amount seen in 2012.