Clean tech landscape: Who will set the national tone?

October 9, 2015 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Colorado has been a leader in clean technology in recent years, ranking fifth in the nation in Clean Edge's Clean Tech Leadership Index from 2010 through 2013 edition.

Denver World Trade Center. Credit: Wars/Wikimedia Commons

In 2014, the state moved up to fourth -- and began to backslide. However, there are significant opportunities for advancement, according to a new report by Clean Edge.

Colorado is a recognized leader in advanced technology deployment, including utility-scale wind and solar power, electric vehicles, and green buildings. It is also a leader in cleantech innovation and investment, and has a steadily improving policy environment supporting these successes -- but there is room for improvement.

"Since we started the U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index, Colorado has placed in the top 10 of our Technology and Capital category rankings, and has recently moved into the top 10 in our Policy category," said Clean Edge managing director Ron Pernick. "The state is well-positioned to set the tone for the continued growth of the cleantech industry, but I would also caution that they don't get complacent. States like Vermont, Connecticut, and Hawaii are nipping at their heels and looking to take over Colorado's fourth place ranking."

That warning should be taken to heart. In recent years, Colorado has been surpassed on many measures in booming markets across the country. While early leadership was, in part, an outcome of executive commitment in Colorado, over the last five years, other governors and key leaders across the nation have erased Colorado's early-mover advantage. Colorado has lost ground on utility-scale wind electricity generation, the state is in danger of falling out of the top 10 in the advanced vehicle adoption market and its 39^th place ranking for smart meter deployment all point to significant opportunities for growth.

"While I'm very pleased to see that Colorado ranks high in most of the report's categories, I am concerned with what seems to be the state's slowdown across a broad range of metrics," said Chris Shapard, executive director of the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association. "This report should serve as a wakeup call for all clean technology companies and organization to come together to retake Colorado's leadership position."

The Clean Edge report digs into the details of Colorado's cleantech sector, illustrating where the state's strengths and weaknesses lie. Data provided in the report highlights the state's impressive electric productivity gains and national leadership in both LEED and Energy Star buildings market. The report also gives a nod to the hard work put in by the state's residents and businesses, as well as strong leadership from political leaders. While the state needs to double down on its commitment to cleantech across the board, Colorado is well-positioned to maintain its leadership status well into the future.

For more:
- download the report

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