Jobs in green sector growing slowly in NH

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The fledgling renewable energy industry has been growing steadily, although New Hampshire is just one of a few states where total jobs grew faster than jobs in the clean energy economy in the last decade, a study says.

A study released Wednesday by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that clean energy jobs grew by 9.1 percent compared with a national average of 3.7 percent from 1998 to 2007, the latest year available.

The report used private jobs data that included information about employers, and Pew researchers spent nearly a year determining which ones could be considered part of the clean energy economy.

The report says New Hampshire's share of the clean energy economy may increase following the release of a climate action plan by the state in March. The plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.