California Watch: 2013 Green Innovation Index

California Green Innovation Index
Next 10: March 19, 2013

Next 10 is focused on innovation and the intersection between the economy, the environment, and quality of life issues for all Californians. Next 10 creates tools and provides information that fosters a deeper understanding of the critical issues affecting all Californians. Through education and civic engagement, Next 10 hopes Californians will become empowered to affect change.

The 2013 California Green Innovation Index, the 5th edition, shows that clean technology patent registrations and energy productivity are growing, clean economy jobs continue their post-recession recovery, and the state’s carbon intensity continues to drop.

At the same time, the Index shows that while overall investments in clean companies have fallen, financing models are changing with the rise of strategic corporate investors, and investments in some sectors continue to grow.

California’s clean economy sector is diversifying and advancing according to new data: clean tech patents, investment levels, energy productivity levels, state GDP relative to greenhouse gas emissions, California's clean economy jobs and more.

Industry Watch: Wind

Wind Energy Job Growth Isn’t Blowing Anyone Away
Despite record growth in generating capacity, the industry is creating few employment opportunities overall.
LA Times: February 2, 2010 by Jim Tankersley

Reporting from Washington - America's wind energy industry enjoyed a banner year in 2009, thanks largely to tax credits and other incentives packed into the $787-billion economic stimulus bill.

But even though a record 10,000 megawatts of new generating capacity came on line, few jobs were created overall and wind power manufacturing employment, in particular, fell -- a setback for President Obama's pledge to create millions of green jobs.

Obama has long pitched green jobs, especially in the energy, transportation and manufacturing fields, as a prescription for long-term, stable employment and a prosperous middle class.

But those jobs have been slow to materialize, especially skilled, good-paying, blue-collar jobs such as assembling wind turbines, retrofitting homes to use less energy and working on solar panels in the desert.

. . . . .

Industry analysts and energy company executives said job growth is also hampered by lingering uncertainties in federal energy policy. Those include questions about when or whether existing tax breaks will expire and whether the Senate will pass a climate bill that would make fossil fuels more expensive -- and renewable energy more competitive.

The federal stimulus bill spared the wind and solar industries steep job losses last year, executives said.

In the wind industry, the bill saved about 40,000 factory, installation and maintenance jobs, according to the American Wind Energy Assn. The industry had gained as many as 2,000 installation and maintenance jobs in producing the record megawatts of new capacity, but wind power manufacturing lost just as many jobs, the trade group said.

Clean-energy leaders and many outside analysts added that green companies won't begin hiring in large numbers until the federal government mandates renewable power consumption nationwide and dramatically upgrades the nation's electric grid. READ MORE !

California Watch: Next 10

Many Shades of Green:
Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs
Next 10: December 2009

Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45%, green jobs grew 36% while total jobs in the state grew only 13%.Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy.

Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew 5% while total jobs dropped 1%. Services accounted for 45% of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting.

Manufacturing represents 21% of all green jobs, and grew 19% between 1995 and 2008. Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between Energy Efficiency and Energy Generation. With nearly 43,000 jobs in 2008, Air & Environment is the largest of California’s green segments. While this segment’s jobs remained steady, hovering around 35,000 from 1995-2005, since 2005 the number of green jobs in this segment increased 24%.

From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61% by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63%.)

Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63% from 1995-2008.

Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152% since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles & Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201%, and representing 48% of all jobs in this segment.

Green Logistics is an emerging field, only in the Bay Area at present, with employment growing by 1,144% since 1995.