California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

A recent study by The Pew Charitable Trusts indicates that the emerging clean
energy economy has expanded a great deal, spreading to all 50 states, amidst
a lack of sustained policy attention and investment. Over the evaluation period
1998 and 2007, Green jobs were created at a faster rate than overall jobs.

Interestingly enough, between 1998 and 2007, more than 68,200 businesses across
all 50 states and the District of Columbia generated approximately 770,000 clean
energy jobs, representing nearly one-half of a percent of total jobs in the country.
California created over 10,000 of the businesses and over 125,000 of the jobs. 
Clearly, no state from an aggregate perspective produced more than the Golden State.

Pew’s research shows that over the analysis period, clean energy economy jobs,
which include white-collar (scientists, engineers, teachers) and blue-collar
positions such as electricians, machinists and technicians increased by 9.1 percent,
while total jobs in the U.S. grew by a paltry 3.7 percent. Yet, it is expected
that the clean energy sector will likely show a contraction of employment for 2008,
but the loss should be significantly less than the rate for the economy, collectively.
This point would be an argument in support of the American Clean Energy and Security
Act legislation.

The study illustrated 3 major metrics. 

The first category is focused on the top 3 states regarding Green Job Growth on
a percentage basis.

1. Idaho: 126.1% (4,517 jobs) 2. Nebraska: 108.6% (5,292 jobs)
3. South Dakota: 93.4% (1,636 jobs)

The second category involved total job creation on a percentage basis.

Nevada: 26.5% growth 2. Florida: 22.4% growth 3. Arizona: 16.2% growth

The third metric is venture capital investment received from 2006-08.
1. California: $6.6 billion 2. Massachusetts: $1.3 billion 3. Texas: $717 million

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.