Oregon, Iowa and Arizona have been named the top-ranked Alternative Energy Leaders in Business Facilities‘ 2011 State Rankings Report.
In our other alternative energy categories, Texas rules the roost in Installed Wind Power Capacity while California stands atop the leaderboard in Installed Solar Power Capacity.
“Oregon has a burgeoning solar power panel industry and is moving forward with one of the most ambitious wind-energy projects in the world,” Business Facilities Editor-in-Chief Jack Rogers said. “This is a one-two punch that knocks out the competition.”
In this year’s Alternative Energy Industry Leaders ranking, Business Facilities adjusted its criteria to give extra credit to states that have diversified their alt energy portfolios, taking a leading position in more than one renewably energy sector.
In Hillsboro, OR, Solar World has established one of the largest solar cell manufacturing facilities in North America. Solaicx, a silicon manufacturer for solar energy applications, is located in Portland, and Salem is home to Sanyo Solar.
The Shepherd’s Flat wind farm project in Oregon may end up being the world’s largest (if Pentagon concerns about radar deflection are overcome). The project will stretch across 30 square miles in Morrow and Gilliam counties in north-central Oregon and generate enough electricity to power 235,000 U.S. homes.
Google, Inc. and two Japanese firms have joined GE Energy Financial Services and Caithness Energy as owners of the project. Google announced it is putting $100 million into the project, and two Japanese companies, ITOCHU’s Tyr Energy and Sumitomo Corp., together will kick in another $400 million, bringing a bonanza of wind power to the Pacific North.
Here are this year’s Alternative Energy rankings:
2011 STATE RANKING—ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INDUSTRY LEADERS
1. OREGON
2. IOWA
3. ARIZONA
4. MICHIGAN
5. CALIFORNIA
6. TEXAS
7. NEW MEXICO
8. OHIO
9. KANSAS
10. COLORADO
2011 STATE RANKING—INSTALLED SOLAR POWER CAPACITY LEADERS
1. CALIFORNIA
2. NEW JERSEY
3. COLORADO
4. ARIZONA
5. NEVADA
6. FLORIDA
7. NEW YORK
8. PENNSYLVANIA
9. NEW MEXICO
10. NORTH CAROLINA
2011 STATE RANKING—INSTALLED WIND POWER CAPACITY LEADERS
1. TEXAS
2. IOWA
3. CALIFORNIA
4. MINNESOTA
5. WASHINGTON
6. ILLINOIS
7. OREGON
8. OKLAHOMA
9. NORTH DAKOTA
10. WYOMING
