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2009 Many Shades of Green Cover
Full Report Press Release

Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs

New report released today shows that California green businesses have increased 45 percent in number and 36 percent in employment from 1995 to 2008 while total jobs in California only expanded 13 percent.

Next 10 is providing the most comprehensive green jobs accounting to date, systematically tracking the most recent available data on green companies, job type, location and growth across every sector and region of California. As the economy slowed between 2007 and 2008, total employment fell one percent, but green jobs continued to grow by five percent. The Sacramento area led the pack with job growth of 87 percent from 1995 to 2008, followed by the San Diego region (57%), the Bay Area (51%), and Orange County and Inland Empire (50%).

The new analysis serves as a companion to Next 10’s Annual California Green Innovation Index (next issue: March 2010) and builds on the Green Business Analysis published in the Index since 2008. Both analyses were conducted by Collaborative Economics, using data from New Energy Finance, Clean Tech GroupTM, LLC, and The National Establishments Time-Series (NETS) database based on Dun & Bradstreet business-unit data.

California's Core Green Economy Highlights:

  • Between 1995-2008, green businesses increased 45 percent, green jobs grew 36 percent, while total jobs in the state grew only 13 percent.
  • Even in rural areas with a smaller economic base, green jobs are growing faster than the overall economy.
  • Between 2007-2008, green jobs grew five percent while total jobs dropped on percent.
  • Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting.
  • Manufacturing represents 21 percent of all green jobs, and grew 19 percent between 1995 and 2008.
  • Half of all manufacturing jobs are split between Energy Efficiency and Energy Generation.
  • Services accounted for 45 percent of all California green jobs, the largest portion in Environmental Consulting.
  • 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 percent.
  • From 1995-2008, Energy Generation employment expanded 61 percent by nearly 10,000 jobs. Solar makes up the largest portion, and strongest growth (63%.)
  • Employment in Energy Efficiency increased 63 percent from 1995-2008.
  • Employment in Green Transportation has increased 152 percent since 1995. Green Transportation Jobs are primarily in Motor Vehicles & Equipment and Alternative Fuels, with the latter growing faster at 201 percent, and representing 48 percent 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 percent since 1995.

Regional Highlights:

  • Sacramento Area: The statewide leader in green job growth (87%), Sacramento experienced the highest-level employment growth (157%) in air and environment jobs (2.5 x 1995 levels). Energy generation employment grew by 141 percent.
  • San Francisco Bay Area: The statewide leader in total green jobs (41,674), Bay Area trends include the largest number of energy generation jobs (roughly 7,000). Energy generation grew by 20 percent, with the high concentration in solar.
  • San Joaquin Valley: Total job growth of 48 percent, with the highest concentration of jobs in wind. Concentration in alternative fuels three times the state average. The number of jobs in green transportation grew 211 percent.
  • Southern California: In the Los Angeles area energy generation jobs grew by 35 percent. Energy efficiency jobs grew by 77 percent. In Orange County green transportation jobs grew 1,875 percent, including alternative fuels and motor vehicles and equipment. Energy generation jobs grew by 176 percent.
  • Inland Empire: Energy generation jobs grew by 85 percent with the highest concentration in solar and wind. Energy efficiency jobs grew by 91 percent.

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