This blog was written by John D. Wilson, former Deputy Director for Regulatory Policy at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Guest Blog | January 25, 2010 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy

Well, Gil, solar isn’t the only clean energy industry that shows promising growth. According to Elisha Wood, investors and the public are backing energy efficiency with their cash.

“VCs and angels—have targeted the energy efficiency as the next frontier in green tech investing,” the report said, noting that “a slew of money” was channeled into software technologies that manage energy use, as well as electric and hybrid cars.

Along with biofuels, energy efficiency was hot with investors, and could overtake solar and wind, which have been out front for several years.

Clean Edge sees much the same in its annual clean energy job trends report. Noting the “seven direct jobs per million dollars invested,” Clean Edge sees building retrofits as having the “most bang for the buck” as a cost-effective job creator. “Energy efficiency companies around the world are proudly proclaiming, ‘Now Hiring!'” Indeed.