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2017 U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index

2017 US Clean Tech Leadership Index

See How Your State and Metro Rank

2017 U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index download image The U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index tracks and ranks the clean-tech activities of all 50 states and the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S. – from EV (electric vehicles) and renewables adoption to policy and investment activity. 

As the Trump administration works relentlessly to dismantle climate and environmental protections and forwards a pro-fossil-fuel, climate-change-denial narrative, this year’s Index shows that states and cities are playing an outsized role in the expansion of clean energy, transportation, and energy efficiency.

To see how your state and city rank, download our summary report (53 pages; 30+ tables and charts).

Key report findings:

  • Three states (Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas) now get 30% or more of their electrons from utility-scale wind
  • The top 10 states for renewable electricity generation include five red states and five blue states
  • Last year, wind and solar power represented 61% of all new electricity generating capacity installed in the U.S.
  • California and Massachusetts top the overall state rankings once again, followed by Vermont, Oregon, and New York
  • San Francisco and San Jose remain the respective city leaders in this year’s Index, followed by Washington, DC, San Diego, and Portland 
  • In many regions, utility-scale wind and solar, even without subsidies, now beat coal, nuclear, and even combined-cycle natural gas on cost for new generation assets
  • Clean energy represents a total of 2.4 million jobs nationwide. Top states for clean energy jobs include Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, Michigan, Oregon, and Massachusetts  

State Index

The eighth edition of the State Index covers more than 70 indicators in three main categories: Technology, Policy, and Capital. Data is included for all 50 states on clean-energy generation, energy storage installations, green building deployment, energy efficiency expenditures, VC investments, clean-energy patents, and much more.

2017 Top 10 States (Including Historical Rankings) graph

Download our summary report to see data and rankings of all 50 states.

Metro Index

The sixth edition of the Metro Index tracks clean-tech activities of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas through more than 30 indicators within the following categories: Green Buildings, Advanced Transportation, Clean Electricity & Carbon Management, and Clean Tech Investment, Innovation, & Workforce. 

2017 Top 10 Metro Areas (Including Historical Rankings) graph

Download our summary report to see data and rankings of all 50 metros.

Thanks to Our Clean Tech Leadership Index Partners

The U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index would not be possible without the support of our partners. In addition to full data access and customized advisory support, our partners gain wide industry branding and recognition.

Lead Partner:

Wells Fargo logo

Supporting Partners:

In addition to publicly available datasets and Clean Edge-derived indicators, Clean Edge leverages data from private data partners including Cleantech Group, EQ Research, Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C., IHS Markit, and the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center.

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Clean Edge Subscriber Benefit Details

The U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index includes more than 100 indicators comprised of approximately 17,000 data points. The complete state and metro datasets are only available to Index subscribers. For information on partnership packages contact Bryce Yonker, Clean Edge senior director of business development and strategic partnerships, at 503-522-6101 or yonker@cleanedge.com .

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