Green tech disappoints on job front

ABC says.

Solar energy has been a major focus of the green tech movement. But recent setbacks caused by low-cost competition from China and the failure of Solyndra, have also impacted job creation. But there's more to green tech than solar.

Venture capitalists invested $3 billion in clean or green technology last year - an all-time high. At the same time, government is cutting back.

According to the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Index report, released last Tuesday: “Venture capital investment in clean technology nearly doubled over the prior year and was strongest in Energy Generation, Efficiency and Storage. The region represents 34% of total California investment in clean tech,” Peninsula Press notes.

Still, panellists agreed that more needs to be done. Whether it's making it easier to get solar permits for improving energy efficiency at home, or bolstering personal recycling habits, more individual and regional changes are necessary to allow Silicon Valley to reach energy and efficiency targets.

San Jose mayor Chuck Reed maintained that Silicon Valley has more opportunity to think about clean technology than other cities because of the innovation that consistently takes place here. “Technology is the easy part,” he said. “The tech companies here are going to make it, refine it, make it cheaper, faster, that's just going to happen.”