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New Clean Edge Report Reveals Major Trends In Global Clean-Tech Job Development And Growth

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. In its first look at the state of clean-tech jobs in the U.S. and globally, Clean Edge, Inc., a leading clean-tech research and publishing firm, today releases Clean Tech Job Trends 2009. The report provides an insightful and compelling investigation of how these jobs are changing the face of industry, where the hotbeds of growth exist, and whether current clean-tech salaries are living up to their 'green-over blue-collar' promise. The free report can be downloaded at www.cleanedge.com.

In the report, job seekers, employers, investors, and policymakers have access to data including: clean-tech hot spots and leading companies in the U.S. and around the globe; the top five clean-tech job sectors; a study of median clean-tech compensation levels; five trends reshaping clean tech; and emerging models for financing clean-tech growth.

According to Clean Edge research, the top 15 metro areas in the U.S. for clean-tech job activity, based on an analysis of job postings, investment and patent activity, and other data, include the San Francisco Bay Area at #1, Greater Boston/southern New Hampshire at #4; Denver/northern Colorado at #6; Austin-San Marcos, Texas at #12; and Detroit-Ann Arbor, Michigan at #14. (Complete results available in free downloadable report).

"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. 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

Clean Tech Job Trends 2009 also provides the first comprehensive look into clean-tech compensation. The report overviews a range of positions and their median pay levels worldwide, from mid-level LEED-certified architect ($58,700) and smart grid hardware design engineer ($87,700) to entry-level wind turbine technician ($52,600) and solar energy system installer ($40,000). The survey is a coproduction of Clean Edge and PayScale (www.payscale.com), the leading online provider of employee compensation data. Founded in 2002, PayScale maintains the world's largest database of individual compensation profiles and provides an immediate and precise snapshot of current market salaries to employees and employers. For those interested in taking the ongoing job survey or purchasing more detailed clean-tech compensation reports, visit www.cleanedge.com/payscale.

In addition to the Clean-Tech Job Trends report, Clean Edge is also releasing a companion report entitled Five Emerging U.S. Finance Models: Powering Clean-Tech Economic Growth and Job Creation. Published in partnership with Green America (www.greenamericatoday.org), a leading green-economy organization, this report articulates that government spending alone does not drive clean-tech markets. In order for the U.S. to remain competitive with countries such as China and those in the European Union, innovative finance vehicles are imperative. The report examines new mechanisms such as Clean Energy Victory Bonds, the Green Bank, City Funds, Federal Loan Guarantees, and Tax Credit Bonds. The report can be downloaded at www.cleanedge.com and www.greenamericatoday.org.

"Clean-energy jobs are already growing faster than other sectors, but it is forecasted that we are just at the beginning of the clean-tech job creation era," says Clean Edge contributing editor Clint Wilder. "This is the greatest opportunity for wealth, job creation, and global economic competitiveness in a generation -- but we need vision, intelligence, and resources to guide our course in expanding this sector."