A new report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts ranks Ohio best in the Midwest and among the top-five states in the nation for job growth in a clean energy economy. According to the Ohio Business Development Coalition, the nonprofit organization that markets the state for capital investment, the report is further evidence that Ohio is uniquely positioned to succeed in the advanced energy industry thanks to its existing strengths in manufacturing and engineering, along with its vast, skilled labor pool capable of an easy transition to fulfill the jobs of the future.

The Pew study shows in 2007 Ohio ranked among the top-five states with the most jobs in clean energy (3,653), energy efficiency (5,367) and environmentally friendly production (2,800). Overall, Ohio boasted a total of 35,267 clean jobs in 2007, which represents an overall job growth of 31% since 1998 and an average annual job growth of 0.85% each year.

Ohio's leaders are leveraging the state's key assets such as Ohio's manufacturing infrastructure, skilled workforce and advantageous location to support a growing advanced energy industry. Ohio's historic strengths in advanced design, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing — combined with the state's ability to seamlessly transform these existing skill sets into those needed to compete for the jobs of the future — creates the perfect environment to make the state a global leader in this rapidly growing industry.

Ohio-based companies are now producing an increasing array of solar panels, wind turbines and component parts, biomass products, fuel cells, hydroelectric components, geothermal parts and storage facilities that promote better utilization of advanced energy resources and competitiveness in a global marketplace.

“Ohio has surplus automotive skilled labor and manufacturing capability that is rapidly being converted to accelerated growth of the clean energy industry and is available for clean energy companies that want a rapid start,” said Ed Burghard, executive director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition. “Ohio is successfully reinventing itself as the location of choice among leading suppliers to the technologies of the future, and our state serves as a model for struggling states and cities with economies that rely on traditional manufacturing processes.”