s

Between 2003 and 2010, Austin added 4,447 green jobs,

resulting in a total of 14,554 green jobs in the metropolitan area; Austins fastest growing segments include: wind, solar, thermal, professional energy services, public mass transit, and water and air purification technologies.1 Austin is also ranked the top US city in the global innovation economy, the number one spot to start a small business, the top city for young adults, one of top ten greenest cities, and the third biggest brain magnet city.2 Austin has long been a hotspot for the high-tech industry. Attracted by the research resources at the University of Texas, in the 1960s IBM and Texas Instruments chose to locate in the region, and for the next few decades, major national and international firms relocated to or opened design or manufacturing firms in the area.3 This high-tech industry that drove the Austin economy never quite recovered from the high-tech bubble burst of 2000. Since then, the Austin metropolitan area lost over 20,000 jobs in computer design and manufacturing. These jobs were largely replaced by service jobs that provide lower wages and fewer benefits. Recently, however, Austin has been attracting firms in green industries. Austins background in information technology eased its transition to a clean-tech economy. A skilled workforce was readily available to shift from manufacturing computer chips to solar panels. Austin houses Helio Volt, founded in 2001, a 39,000 square foot manufacturing facility for Polysilicon-based photovoltaic panels. It is also home to: Skyonic, an angel-funded company that developed a process to recycle carbon emissions from power plants into commercial chemicals; Xtreme Power, a designer of power storage systems; Cielo Wind Power, a leading wind power developer; and Green Mountain Energy, a clean energy retailer. Additionally, Whole Foods and Dell have their global headquarters in Austin, and several other major companies have corporate headquarters in the region as well. With more than $400 million in annual research funding, the University of Texas has been instrumental in driving Austins green economy.3 Of particular influence has been the Universitys Austin Technology Incubator (ATI). Having raised over $725 million in venture capital, AIT develops start-up firms focused on bioscience, clean energy, and information technology.3 Since it was founded in 1989, ATI has generated over $1.5 billion in revenue.3 The University also has an Office of Sustainability, aimed at greening the campus, and several greening institutions and centers (e.g. the Environmental Science Institute and the Center for Sustainable Development).

Green Economy Job Growth, 2003-20101

The Texas Clean Energy Park, founded in 2008, provides facilities and training for clean-tech start-up companies. The park was developed via a $600,000 state grant to the Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities (TFIC). TFIC, a nonprofit, was specifically created to make the park a hub for the most advanced clean-energy business, research, education, and training facilities in the nation. The park spans across 140 acres and neighbors an existing business park, Expo Center.
For additional information: http://www.austinchamber.com/do-business/data-research/realestate/texas-clean-energy-park.php

The City of Austin has also been working hard to grow its green economy. In 2007, the City published the Austin Climate Protection plan, which pledged to generate 35 percent of its energy through renewable sources, and to make all of the Citys facilities, fleets, and operations completely carbon neutral by 2020.4 The report also outlined a roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emission, including energy, food, land use, transportation, waste, and water suggestions. As of October of 2012, all City facilities are powered by renewable energy. The City has also developed a Sustainability Action Agenda for its residents (see Table 1), and several greening programs, including: Austin Green Business Leaders, Bright Green Future School Grant, Green Roofs, and the Green Alley Initiative. With an annual growth rate of 5.3 percent, well above the national rate, Austins outlook for green economic development continues to be good.1 Austin has become a central location for wind and solar power, biomass resources, fuel cell technology, and other energy-saving technologies. With such a long history in technology innovation and sustainability efforts, Austin is making its mark as the clean-tech capital.

Table 1. Select Austin City Sustainability Initiatives and Programs Initiative Energy Retrofits Green Tourism Plug-In Vehicles Renewable Energy Smart Grid Program Home Improvement Rebate Green Gems Map; Edible Austin Austin EnergyEnvironmental Initiative GreenChoice Power Saver Program; Free Programmable Thermostat

Formed in 1986, SEMATECH is a cooperative between 14 USbased semiconductor developers and the US government, focused on improving industry infrastructure. Austin was chosen as the companys headquarters due to its high-tech and high-skilled environment. Over the years, Sematech has expanded collaborationsincluding with universities, regional governments, and other consortia. Sematech helped create Austins high-tech boom in the 1990s and continues to expand worldwide in emerging semiconductor and nanotechnology driven applications. For more information: http://www.sematech.org/index.htm

Established in 1895, is the eighth largest community-owned electric utility in the nation and arguably has the most successful utility-sponsored green energy marketing programs.1 The City of Austin has set one of the most aggressive renewable energy goals, 35 percent renewable by 2020. This goal has pushed Austin Energy to make a strong commitment to advancing renewable energy use. Servicing nearly 420,000 customers, Austin Energy generates nearly 3,000 megawatts annually. About 10 percent of their electricity comes from renewable energy sources, largely via wind power. Due to the Citys aggressive goals, Austin Energy has purchased two new coastal wind farms that are expected in increase their renewable portfolio by 27 percent by 2013. Austin Energy has also set goals to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent. Austin Energy also owns two gaspower plants, one coal-fire plant, and one nuclear plant. For nine years in a row, Austin Energys Green Choice program has been the nations most successful utility-sponsored and voluntary green-pricing energy program. The program was developed in 1999 as collaboration between Austin Energy and the Sustainable Energy Task Force. Energy is supplied via long-term purchase contracts between Austin Energy and renewable providers. Customers sign up by buying into a particular batch or a combination of purchase contracts sold for a predetermined amount. When the anticipated annual energy is fully purchased, a batch is sold out. All customer classes (i.e. residential and commercial) are eligible to participate. Austin Energy also created the nations first green building program in 1990. The program offers workshops that introduce the fundamentals of green buildings and seminars for local green building professionals and co-produces the annual Cool House Tour that shows off top rated projects. So far, the rating tools the program provides have saved over 53.6 million kilowatts hours of electricity, 65.8 million gallons of water, and diverted 120,698 tons of construction waste from the landfill.
For more information: www.austinenergy.com

Austin Energy

Brookings Institute. 2011. Sizing the Clean Economy: The Clean Economy in Little Rock, AR Metropolitan Area. Retrieved October 21, 2012 (http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/series/clean%20economy/30780). City of Austin. 2011. Austin, Texas. Even our Numbers are in Great Shape. Retrieved October 21, 2012 (http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Redevelopment/Austin%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf). 3 English, Barksdale. 2009. Growing Austins Green Economy. Policy Matters Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2012 (www.policymatters.net). 4 City of Austin. 2009. Climate Action Report. Policy Matters Journal. Retrieved October 21, 2012 (www.climate protection@austintexas.gov ).
2