Inflation-adjusted figures are converted into current dollars using the U.S. city average Consumer Price Index (CPI) of all urban consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For state level comparisons, inflation-adjusted figures are converted into current dollars based on state-specific deflators, published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Nominal gross domestic product (GDP) data for California, U.S. states and the U.S. are sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce. Country and state GDP are at market prices in current 2018 dollars, expressed per U.S. dollar, unless otherwise noted, from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. Gross Domestic Product by State is also referred as Gross State Product (GSP).
Population data from California used to calculate per capita figures are from the California Department of Finance’s: E-4 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, with 2000 and 2010 Census Counts. U.S., state and “U.S. without California” population data are from the U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Branch. Country population data are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, calculated from the Census Bureau International Population Database.
Data for carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy are from the U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Information Administration (EIA), International Energy Statistics. State level emissions data come from EIA’s State CO2 Emissions. Data for carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy include emissions due to the consumption of petroleum, natural gas, and coal, and also from natural gas flaring. Energy consumption data are based on the consumption of each primary energy source, and data are gathered from a variety of national and organization reports that collate data from energy users. Carbon dioxide emissions are calculated for each individual fuel by applying carbon emission coefficients to convert to MMTCO2e dioxide emitted per quadrillion BTU of fuel consumed. Calculations used GDP and Population data where applicable, as described above.
Unless otherwise noted, emissions data only include energy-related emissions, and therefore do not include emissions from sources such as agriculture, waste combustion, and industrial gases, because it is the most up-to-date information available. While these other emissions are important to track and reduce, the Green Innovation Index focuses on energy emissions, given the importance of energy-related indicators and the availability of recent data. A comparison of World Resources Institute’s 2011 total world emissions data shows that energy-related emissions account for about 75 percent of global emissions. In addition, the ranking for the top emitters is similar when comparing total and energy-related emissions, and the rankings of the top six emitters are identical.
GHG Emissions and Gross Domestic Product, Total California Greenhouse Emissions, Emissions by Source, Emissions by Detailed Source Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data for these figures are from California Air Resources Board’s “California Greenhouse Gas Inventory – by Sector and Activity” (2021 Edition). The 1990–1999 emissions include “gross emissions” and the 2000–2019 emissions are “included emissions” only unless otherwise noted. Calculations used GDP and Population data where applicable, as described above.
Data on waste disposal (landfilled or exported) in tons are from CalRecycle’s Disposal Reporting System. The Disposal Reporting System (DRS) is the set of guidelines that tracks the origin of waste disposed in California’s landfills, and waste sent from California to out-of-state landfills. DRS tracks disposal tonnages (including alternative daily cover (ADC), alternative intermediate cover (AIC), and beneficial reuse) and transformation sent to facilities in the state. Disposal and alternative daily cover (ADC) tonnage is subject to change due to revisions.
Data on state-level transportation fuel consumption is compiled by the Alternative Fuel Data Center of the U.S. Department of Energy, based on the State Energy Data System from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Transportation fuel consumption is converted to gasoline gallon equivalents of petroleum (GGEs) for the transportation sector. The following transportation fuel are converted: Gasoline, diesel, propane, natural gas, and electricity.
Data on historic wildfire emissions (2000–2019) is provided by California Air Resources Board. Greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires are tracked separately when compared to anthropogenic sources due, in large part, to carbon cycling. Current estimates of wildfire emissions for 2020 comes from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Wildfire emissions are displayed using the 100-year global warming potential horizon.
Data on Green Industry jobs at the comes from U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) Data by BW Research Partnership. This data combines survey analysis of employers with employment data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages to produce estimates of local green employment. Data is from Fall of 2018. Beacon Economics converted county estimates into regional estimates at the CBSA level.
Data on Green Occupations combines designations from O*NET’s “Greening the World of Work Project” with Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from the BLS (May 2020 Data). Dierdorff, E. C., Norton, J. J., Drewes, D. W., Kroustalis, C. M., Rivkin, D., & Lewis, P. (2009). Greening of the world of work: Implications for O* NET®-SOC and new and emerging occupations.
Total Vehicles and GHG Emissions from Surface Transportation and Vehicle Miles Traveled CARB’s “California Greenhouse Gas Inventory – by Sector and Activity.” Surface Transportation emissions sources include passenger vehicles, motorcycles and light and heavy duty trucks. Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) is defined as total distance traveled by all vehicles during a selected time period in geographic segment. VMT estimates for 1995–2007 are from the California Department of Transportation’s “2008 California Motor Vehicle Stock, Travel and Fuel Forecast.” VMT data for 2008 to current are from the California Department of Transportation’s Highway Performance Monitoring System’s “California Public Road Data.” Calculations use Population data sources where applicable.
Data for new light vehicle registrations in California are from California New Car Dealers Association’s Quarterly California Auto Outlook, which are sourced from IHS Markit. Light Vehicles include cars and light trucks. Cars are comprised of the following categories: subcompact, compact, sports/pony cars, mid-size, large, entry luxury, near luxury, luxury and high end sports cars. Light trucks are comprised of the following categories: compact/mid-size pickup, full size pickup, minivan, large van, subcompact SUV, compact SUV, mid-size SUV, large SUV, luxury subcompact SUV, luxury compact SUV, luxury mid-size SUV and luxury large SUV.
Data are from the California Energy Commission (CEC), compiled using vehicle registration data by fuel type from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Alternative fuel types include all hybrid (gasoline and diesel), electric, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen, propane, biofuels, and natural gas vehicles. Zero-emission fuel-types include electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen.
Data on alternative fueling stations, which encompasses electric vehicle charging stations, are from Alternative Fuel Data Center, U.S. Department of Energy. The data in the Alternative Fueling Station Locator are gathered and verified through a variety of methods. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) obtains information about new stations from trade media, Clean Cities coordinators, a Submit New Station form on the Station Locator website, and through collaborating with infrastructure equipment and fuel providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and industry groups.
Unlinked Passenger Trips: Data uses monthly American Public Transportation Association (APTA) data for the transit component of Transportation Safe Institute (TSI) for years prior to 2010, and data from FTA (Federal Transit Administration)’s NTD (National Transit Database) for 2010 and beyond. FTA is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. The number of unlinked passenger trips is the measure used for the TSI. Transit modes, include, among others, bus, trolleybus, vanpool, jitney, and demand response service; and heavy rail transit, light rail transit, commuter rail (including Amtrak contract commuter service), automated guideway transit, inclined plane, cable car, monorail, aerial tramway, and ferryboat. Monthly data is reported to NTD by transit agencies.
Data on alternative modes of transportation to and from work comes from the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Samples (ACS PUMS). The ACS PUMS is a publicly available dataset, published annually, that allows for custom tabulations. The ACS PUMS dataset lists twelve modes of transportation, which are consolidated to the following categories for the purpose of this report: Passenger vehicles, public transportation, active transportation, and work from home.
Data for total electricity generation and renewable electricity generation by source are from the U.S. Department of Energy – EIA, International Energy Statistics. Data are for both utility and non-utility sources, and are reported as net generation (as opposed to gross generation). Renewable electricity data are for non-hydroelectric renewable, including geothermal, solar, tide, wave, wind, biomass and waste.
California renewable energy data is from the California Energy Commission, “Net System Power Reports” 2002–2020, Total System Power in Gigawatt Hours (GWh). U.S. data in the California section on total electricity generation data is from the U.S. Department of Energy, EIA, Electric Power Monthly reports. Annual totals from “Table 1.1 Net Generation by Energy Source: Total (All Sectors),” and “Table 1.1.A. Net Generation by Other Renewables: Total (All Sectors).” Because of different renewable energy definitions between California and the U.S., data represented for the U.S. do not include any hydro.
Solar capacity installed data are provided by Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) and California Solar Initiative. SEIA data were taken from the U.S. Solar Market Insight Reports, 2007–2016. California Solar Initiative (CSI) data include municipal utility, and other utility-scale installations and Net Energy Metering (NEM) Interconnection Data.
Wind capacity installed and cumulative data are provided by the American Wind Energy Association. Data is taken from quarterly and annual U.S. Wind Industry Market Reports, 2006–2016.
Data on the annual renewable portfolio standards (RPS) position of community choice aggregations (CCAs) come from the California Public Utility Commission’s annual RPS report to the legislature, which is based on the CCA draft RPS procurement plans submitted to the CPUC.
Data on the integrated resource plan (IRP) scenarios comes from the 2020 unified resource adequacy (RA) and IRP modeling datasets hosted on the California Public Utility Commission’s (CPUC’s) website. The unified modeling input datasets and scenarios are used by Energy Division of the CPUC to model the electric and gas system, typically in support of the Resource Adequacy (RA) and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) proceedings. The production cost model used by Energy Division is the SERVM model developed by Astrape Consulting.
Data on energy storage projects in California comes from the Department of Energy’s OE Global Energy Storage Database, hosted by Sandia National Laboratories and is current as of 2021. Data on energy usage by state comes from the US Energy Information Administration’s State Energy Data System. Data is from 2019.
Energy data are from the U.S. Department of Energy – EIA, International Energy Statistics and State Energy Data System. Data is for total primary energy consumption, in British Thermal Units (BTU), of petroleum, dry natural gas, coal, and net nuclear, hydroelectric, and non-hydroelectric renewable electricity. Energy productivity divides GDP by total energy consumption. Primary energy is in the form that it is first accounted for in a statistical energy balance, before any transformation to secondary or tertiary forms of energy (for example, coal is used to generate electricity). Calculations used GDP and Population data where applicable, as described above.
Electricity consumption data are from the U.S. Department of Energy – EIA, International Energy Statistics and State Energy Data System. For the United States, total electric power consumption is equal to the data in the Total column under End Use from Table 8.1 of the EIA’s Annual Energy Review. For all other countries except the United States, total electric power consumption is equal to total net electricity generation, plus electricity imports, less electricity exports and less electricity transmission and distribution losses. Data are reported as net consumption as opposed to gross consumption. Net consumption excludes the energy consumed by the generating units. Calculations used Population data where applicable, as described above.
Data on house heating fuel comes from the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Samples (ACS PUMS). The ACS PUMS is a publicly available dataset, published annually, that allows for custom tabulations.
Clean technology investment data are provided by PitchBook Data, Inc. and includes disclosed investment deals in private companies. Data is through December 2020. VC data includes Seed, Series A-E+, and Growth Equity series types. Debt includes loan guarantees from the federal government, as well as structured debt and loans from private investors, such as banks, investment funds, and financial services groups. Totals may not be the same across charts because of different investment types included. Dollar amounts are unadjusted for inflation (nominal). M&As are by location of the targeted company (e.g., not the buyer) in the year the deal was announced. IPOs are by location of the company and in the year the IPO was listed.