Our green economy is growing

Mayor Michael Nutter’s bold pledge to make Philadelphia “the greenest city in America” came closer to reality yesterday as federal and local officials marked a $129 million project for clean energy research at the Navy Yard.

Penn State University will head the consortium of public and private companies working on the project, which will largely focus on making buildings more energy-efficient. Research and development at the hub is expected to lead to green jobs across the country, although officials could estimate the number of jobs directly related to the news.

“In the end, this is the type of research that will propel the United States forward,” U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said.

The hub’s location is fitting considering Pennsylvania is the greenest state in the country, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and ranks third in green energy jobs based on a 2007 Pew Research poll. The state has also contributed $30 million to the facility.

“All of these awards taken together will improve both the supply and the demand for clean energy technology, moving Philadelphia to the forefront of the green collar economy,” Nutter said. “We are on our way to being the greenest city in the United States of America.”