Energy Productivity is Highest in California

Energy Productivity is higher in California than the rest of the country. While gains were similar from 2005 to 2006, the gap in energy productivity between California and the rest of the U.S. remains with California's energy productivity 68% higher than the U.S.

Measured as the ratio of energy consumed (inputs) to GDP (economic output), growth in energy productivity equates to more dollars of GDP generated per unit of energy consumed.

In 2006, California produced $2.17 of GDP for every 10,000 BTU of energy consumed. In comparison, the rest of the United States produced $1.29 for every 10,000 BTU of energy consumed.

Therefore, the difference in energy productivity between California and the rest of the U.S. is about 88 cents per 10,000 BTU of energy consumed.

The CALIFORNIA GREEN INNOVATION INDEX (2009) provides insight on a California culture that includes three decades of ambitious state environmental and energy policies, putting California on a path to energy independence and one of the lowest per capita carbon footprints in the nation, all the while growing one of the most vigorous economies in the world.

Solar is one of the renewable energies leading the new green economy in California with the Million Solar Roofs program, extensive solar PV installation training infrastructure development, and utility scale solar PV and solar thermal installations to meet California's demand for renewable energy and mandates in AB 32 and related greenhouse gas legislation.