Clean Tech Industry Drives Job Growth

PORTLAND, Ore. (Clean Edge) -- As the 'green jobs' trend evolves from political platform to economic reality, the industry driving it -- clean tech -- is becoming one of the country's key markets for growth and job creation.

The clean-technology sector is now one of the largest recipients of venture capital dollars -- alongside biotech, software, and medical devices -- with clean energy alone raking in $3.35 billion in the U.S. in 2008, according to New Energy Finance. Globally, VC and private equity totaled $13.5 billion in clean-energy investments last year.

Clean-tech pure plays -- companies dedicated to clean-tech activities such as solar, wind, water filtration, and energy intelligence -- are a leading source of clean-tech jobs. Of the top 10 companies, four are headquartered in the U.S., three are based out of China, and three are European, according to Clean Edge's "Clean Tech Job Trends 2009" report, published today.

Top Clean-Tech Employers (Pure Plays)

	Company	Ticker	Sector	Employees
	Vestas Wind	VWS.CO	Wind	21,100
	LDK Solar	LDK	Solar	14,100
	Nalco	NLC	Water	11,700
	Suntech Power	STP	Solar	9,000
	Itron	ITRI	Smart Grid	8,700

The Clean Tech Job Trends report found that San Francisco is the top metro area in the U.S. for clean-tech job activity. Other notable metro areas include Boston at No. 4, Denver at No. 6, Austin at No. 12 and Detroit at No. 14, based on an analysis of job postings, investment and patent activity, and other data.

"Unlike the early days of computers and IT, the clean-tech economy is a highly dispersed phenomenon, with no single place, industry, or professional demographic controlling the sector," said Ron Pernick, co-founder and managing director of Clean Edge and co-author, The Clean Tech Revolution.

"This is apparent in the formerly shuttered manufacturing facilities, often in hard-hit industrial areas, that are now opening their doors to make products like wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries," Pernick said. "Similarly, clean-tech deployment and growth has become an economic cornerstone for nations looking to innovate and compete in the 21st century- from the likely suspects of Japan, Germany, and the U.S. to emerging powerhouses such as China, South Korea, and even oil-rich Abu Dhabi."

To bring clarity to this rapidly transforming employment landscape, the study reveals five major trends reshaping clean-tech jobs:

• Energy Efficiency--The Most Bang For Your Buck
• Aging Workforce, New Clean Technologies Transform Utility Industry Landscape
• Coming to a Campus Near You: Clean-Tech Career Training
• Clean-Tech Manufacturing Moves Near End-Use Markets
• The Next Big Thing in IT Jobs: Networking the Grid