The Pew Charitable Trusts has issued a report, the Clean Energy Economy, which gives Iowa high marks for repowering jobs, businesses, and investments in clean energy.  The study found that states, like Iowa, have seen investing in clean energy jobs addresses high energy prices and helps reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

The state of Iowa is now third in the country, behind Texas and California, in electricity generated from wind.

The Pew Study compared states in two key areas, percentage of clean energy job growth from 1998 to 2007, and the amount of venture capital invested in clean energy from 2006 to 2008.  According to the study, Iowa randed 12th in clean energy job growth compared to all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  In addition, Iowa ranked 11th in venture capital in clean energy.

Iowa was one of the few states that scored well in both categories.  In fact, only Iowa and New Mexico were in the top 15 in both the percentage of clean energy job growth and venture capital invested in clean energy.

The emerging clean energy economy grew significantly in all 50 states between 1998 and 2007.  During this time, clean energy jobs grew nationally by 9.1%, which was faster than jobs overall.  For the future, investments in clean technology are faring better than other industries, and there has been a $12.6 billion national investment in the last three years.

The Pew Charitable Trusts, an independent nonprofit organization, has offices in Philadelphia and Washington D.C.  In 2008, the National Environmental Trust (NET), which Pew helped establish, merged staff and operations into the Pew Environment Group, which now constitutes one of the nation's largest environmental scientific and advocacy organizations.  According to their website, Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public, and stimulate civic life.