Alabama has a small but growing piece of America’s clean energy economy. The state’s
number of jobs in the clean energy economy in 2007 was less than the
national average of more than 15,000 jobs, but it increased slightly between
1998 and 2007 despite a lack of venture capital investments and few clean
technology patents, and it exceeded the growth rate for overall jobs in
Alabama during the same period. Automotive industry jobs in the state
have declined, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,1 but Alabama
is hoping to revive the industry by investing in alternative fuel production
and infrastructure through its regional Center for Alternative Fuels and the
Alabama Alternative Fuels and Research Development Fund.2
BY THE NUMBERS, THE CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY:
Jobs (2007): 7,849
Businesses (2007): 799
Venture Capital Funds (2006-2008)*: $0
Patents (1999-2008): 26
EXAMPLES OF COMPANIES:**
CFD Research Corporation, Huntsville (Clean Energy): designs and tests
fuel cells
Sun Plans, Citronelle (Environmentally Friendly Production): designs
energy-efficient and passive solar homes
JOB CATEGORIES***
10-YEAR GROWTH
2.2%
1.6%
SIZEFAST
GROWING SHRINKING
LARGESMALLSTATUS OF CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY
AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE OF GROWTH
Average yearly rate of growth between 1998 and 2007
Relative rate of growth between 1998 and 2007
Share of jobs in the clean energy economy by category
Clean energy economy jobs
All jobs
84.8%
4.4% 2.4% 2.1%
6.2%
Conservation and
Pollution Mitigation
Training and Support
Environmentally
Friendly Production
Energy E ciency
Clean Energy
The Clean Energy Economy
Alabama
MORE ABOUT THESE FACTSHEETS
Download the full report by visiting www.pewtrusts.org/cleanenergyeconomy
NOTES: *Values reported in 2008 dollars. **Information current as of May 8, 2009. This report is intended for
educational and informational purposes. References to specific products, services, companies and policy
makers have been included solely to advance these purposes and do not constitute an endorsement,
sponsorship or recomme