Independent: Billionaire Richard Branson is set to defy the downturn by completing the $400m (£240m) fundraising for his energy venture in renewables within two months. The Virgin Green Fund, based in London and San Francisco, will be one of the few private-equity style funds to raise its target amount this year when it reaches its final close in September. The fund ploughs $5m-$100m into growing renewable energy sectors such as biomass and solar power in the US and western Europe. Several …