Is renewable energy worth investing in?

The net-zero transition using renewable energy is proving counterproductive for Britain. Is the sector still worth investing in?

London Array offshore wind park in North Sea
(Image credit: Getty Images)

While the government seeks to accelerate Britain’s drive to “net zero” through the increased adoption of renewable energy, the private sector is going in the opposite direction. Since the middle of 2023, The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG) has sold £210m of assets at an average premium to book value of 11%. 

Admittedly, most of these assets were in Ireland and Germany but it is notable that the proceeds are not being reinvested in the UK but used to reduce borrowings and initiate a £50m share buyback programme. With TRIG’s shares trading at a 21% discount to net asset value (NAV), this makes sense. 

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Max King
Investment Writer

Max has an Economics degree from the University of Cambridge and is a chartered accountant. He worked at Investec Asset Management for 12 years, managing multi-asset funds investing in internally and externally managed funds, including investment trusts. This included a fund of investment trusts which grew to £120m+. Max has managed ten investment trusts (winning many awards) and sat on the boards of three trusts – two directorships are still active.

After 39 years in financial services, including 30 as a professional fund manager, Max took semi-retirement in 2017. Max has been a MoneyWeek columnist since 2016 writing about investment funds and more generally on markets online, plus occasional opinion pieces. He also writes for the Investment Trust Handbook each year and has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and other publications. See here for details of current investments held by Max.