IBISWorld has issued a report (pdf) which tallies the ten leading U.S. industries based on:
- Contributions to the economy as a whole (measured as industry value added)
- Absolute revenue growth
- Establishment growth over the past 10 years
- Performance expected through 2017
Nestled amongst self-tanning products, yoga studios, and hot sauce production lies Solar Panel Production and Green and Sustainable Building Construction, according to IBISWorld. The actual business metric being logged is not specified.
IBISWorld projections call for 8 percent annual growth in the $4.6 billion U.S. solar manufacturing industry over the next five years, despite waning government subsidies. The report cites SunPower as growing revenue "an average of 3.3% a year from 2002 to 2012."
According to the report, since 2002 Green and Sustainable Building Construction revenue has grown 28.9 percent per year with anticipated 18.3 percent growth in 2012, citing "local and state building codes that promote the use of energy-efficient building design and materials," as the driver. The report suggests an average annual rate of 22.8 percent through 2017.
The winner's list also includes generic pharmaceuticals, 3-D printer manufacturing, and online glasses sales.