"China has a huge potential in market demand and in recourses, prerequisites of the rising inflow of international investment," said Zhang Shigang, coordinator of UNEP China office at the launching ceremony of the Global Trends in Substantial Energy Investment 2008.

The report, jointly published by the UNEP and UK-based New Energy Finance, said that globally, investment between now and 2030 is expected to reach $450 billion a year by 2012, rising to more than $600 billion a year from 2020.

Last year new investment in sustainable energy surpassed $148 billion, a 60 percent rise from 2006, transactions mainly fuelled by the wind sector.

Although most money still flows to Europe and the US, China, India and Brazil are drawing increasing investor interest.

In China, investment in renewable capacity increased by 91 percent in 2007 to $10.8 billion and wind capacity doubled to 6 gW.