Clean-Tech Payrolls
Green jobs have become a hot topic this year, but it's not always clear what exactly that means. Here's one measure. Research firm Clean Edgehas determined the ten publicly traded, clean-tech companies with the most employees. (The data are based on second quarter 2009 financial filings or the most recent annual report.)
Most of the companies are based out of the U.S. but have a presence in the country. Click on to see which companies ranked on top.
Posted Nov. 4, 2009
10. SunPower
Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Employees: 5,400
SunPower’s high-efficiency solar panels grace the roofs of homes and businesses around the world .
9. Kingspan Group
Headquarters: Kingscourt, Ireland
Employees: 5,500
Kingspan manufactures materials used in making more energy efficient buildings.
8. Gamesa
Headquarters: Victoria, Spain
Employees: 7,200
With wind turbine manufacturing facilities in Europe, China and the U.S., Gamesa installed the equivalent of 16,000 megawatts of wind power in 2008.
7. Baldor Electric
Headquarters: Fort Smith, Ark.
Employees: 7,800
Among other things, Arkansas-based Baldor Electric manufactures energy efficient electric motors.
6. China BAK Battery
Headquarters: Shenzhen, China
Employees: 8,200
China BAK manufactures lithium-based battery cells that are used in rechargeable batteries for products like cell phones and laptops.
5. Itron
Headquarters: Liberty Lake, Wash.
Employees: 8, 700
The company makes smart electricity, gas, water and heat meters that deliver and monitor energy and water use more efficiently.
4. Suntech Power
Headquarters: Wuxi, China
Employees: 9,000
The solar module producer has offices in China, Switzerland and in San Francisco.
3. Nalco
Headquarters: Naperville, Ill.
Employees: 11,700
Nalco is a water treatment and process improvement company that helps its customers reduce water use.
2. LDK Solar
Headquarters: Xinyu, China
Employees: 14,100
The Chinese company makes multicrystalline solar—a component used to make solar cells—which it sells to solar module and cell manufacturers. The company has an office in Sunnyvale, Calif.
1. Vestas Wind Systems
Headquarters: Randers, Denmark
Employees: 21,100
The Denmark-based wind turbine manufacturer also has facilities in Texas, Colorado and Oregon.