Houston may encompass two of the most polluted counties in the nation and lead the country in carbon dioxide emissions, but the city generates thousands of green energy jobs. Clean Edge included the Texas city in its list of metropolitan areas that are "current hotbeds of clean-tech job activity." In 2008, Global Insight ranked Houston third for green jobs, and in 2009, Scientific American ranked the city 10th in its list of energy leaders.

 

Experts have said that one reason the wind power sector has grown so rapidly in Texas is that the state's oil industry has plenty of experience in constructing huge projects like wind farms.