According to CleanTechnica, the latest U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index has been released. The index, compiled by Clean Edge, a research and indexing firm, tracks and ranks clean-tech activities in all 50 states and large-scale metro areas as well.
The top 10 U.S. states are:
- California
- Massachusetts
- Oregon
- Colorado
- New York
- Vermont
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Washington
- Hawaii
These states were rated based on three major categories: capital, technology and policy. Data was taken from numerous factors including green building deployment, energy efficient expenditures, clean-energy generation and total number of clean-energy patents.
"Solar and wind power, along with natural gas and energy efficiency, are now the mainstream choices for meeting the nation's electricity needs; coal-fired and nuclear power, the dominant choices of the 20th century, have become the marginalized 'alternatives,'" the report said.
Key findings of the report include:
- California gets a full percentage point of its consumed electricity from utility solar plants.
- Eleven states generate more than 10 percent of their own electricity using non-hydro renewable energy sources. In Iowa, South Dakota and Kansas, this number exceeds 20 percent.
- Idaho, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington exceed 70 percent of their energy generation from renewable sources.
- In 2014, solar power and utility-scaled wind power made up an almost combined 50 percent of energy generation capacity.
In addition to these energy efficient ventures, another recent survey indicates that almost two-thirds of large investment firms in the U.S. are planning to prioritize solar energy over the next five years.
The survey found that although only 32 percent of companies stated they would invest in solar energy this year, 28 percent said they plan to in the future within the next two to five years. 80 percent also stated they were most interested in the venture due to their hope for "a cleaner energy future."
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