NEW YORK, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Los Angeles-based private equity firm Ares Management Corp (ARES.N) said on Thursday it has raised $2.2 billion to invest in infrastructure businesses operating in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage sectors. Ares said it raised $1.4 billion for its inaugural Ares Climate Infrastructure Partners Fund, and an additional $800 million in managed accounts that will be deployed alongside the fund. The targeted investments will include renewable energy, resource and energy efficiency, energy storage and vehicle electrification, the firm said. Ares said about 50% of the new fund"s capital has already been invested via equity, preferred equity and structured debt in climate infrastructure projects mostly in North America and Europe. "We"re investing in the energy transition, meaning a decarbonisation of the power sector particularly with wind, solar, and battery storage," Keith Derman, co-head of Ares Infrastructure and Power, said in an interview. Ares said it has invested more than $9 billion in about 250 infrastructure and power assets in the climate infrastructure, natural gas generation, and energy transportation sectors. It sold the 302 megawatts Lincoln Land Wind project in Morgan County, Illinois to Danish power company Ørsted A/S (ORSTED.CO). Ares has about $282 billion of assets under management.