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Tim O'Connor, director of the Environmental Defense Fund, says his group's report makes it clear that investing in new energy-efficiency programs produces the greatest economic benefits and job creation for the state.
"So, not only are California's policies driving reductions, they're also returning back to the economy and causing a multiplier effect, so that we have accelerated job growth"
O'Connor says the report also finds that, even during the recession, California's clean energy economy held steady - while the state's overall economy lost 7 percent of its employment.
"What we saw was that people were caring about how much they were spending and they were investing in efforts to reduce emissions and reduce their energy bills, and that directly leads to support of California's green economy."
O'Connor says market demand in these areas is likely to increase rapidly in the future, as a result of the state's implementation of the landmark "Global Warming Solutions Act" (AB 32) and other state policies.
The report, "Seven Growth Sectors Driving California's Clean and Efficient Economy," is online at edf.org.
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