Report: Clean energy jobs grow 6 times faster than other jobs

Minnesota's clean energy jobs grew at about six-times the rate of overall jobs over the last decade, according to a new study from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report says about 20,000 Minnesotans work in 1,200 clean energy businesses like wind, ethanol, and other emerging energy sources.

Researcher Ethan Zindler says Minnesota's energy policies are helping the sector grow.

"If you combine a good natural resource with a strong renewable portfolio standard you tend to attract good investment, and some states have done better than others, there's no question about that," Zindler said.

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Minnesota requires one-quarter of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.

Zindler also said states with strong energy policies created more jobs.

"Actually Minnesota has done quite nicely having a very strong renewable portfolio standard, which has attracted a fair amt of capital, you've also seen some manufacturing capacity at least announced among wind turbine makers," he said.

The report says countries with strong energy policies -- including China -- are leaping ahead of the U.S. in clean energy investments.