Knowing where to go: The knowledge foundation for investments in renewable energy

Energy policies are increasingly focused on promoting the transition towards a more sustainable energysystem. Evidence-based decision-making regarding such policies needs a solid knowledge foundation.We take stock of our existing knowledge regarding the statistics and data that form the basis for research,policy and business decision-making regarding investments in renewable energy (RE).We point to severaltypes of problems and challenges related to achieving a statistical overview of investments in the energysector, and argue that addressing these problems is not simply a matter of intensifying existing statisticalefforts and improving precision because they are caused by fundamental difficulties. We particularlyemphasize the role of investors as a linkage between public policy and firm-level activity, discussingthe kind of data needed to sufficiently identify investors and their activities and fulfil their particularinformation needs related to investing in the RE sector. This information is important not only in researchand policy contexts, but also for investment behaviour.Energy policies are increasingly focused on promoting the transition towards a more sustainable energysystem. Evidence-based decision-making regarding such policies needs a solid knowledge foundation.Wetake stock of our existing knowledge regarding the statistics and data that form the basis for research,policy and business decision-making regarding investments in renewable energy (RE).Wepoint to severaltypes of problems and challenges related to achieving a statistical overview of investments in the energysector, and argue that addressing these problems is not simply a matter of intensifying existing statisticalefforts and improving precision because they are caused by fundamental difficulties. We particularlyemphasize the role of investors as a linkage between public policy and firm-level activity, discussingthe kind of data needed to sufficiently identify investors and their activities and fulfil their particularinformation needs related to investing in the RE sector. This information is important not only in researchand policy contexts, but also for investment behaviour