It may not be on the top of the list of America's Greenest States, but Pennsylvania is quickly climbing the charts and making headlines for its green initiatives.

Of the state's current energy purchases, almost 30 percent is green energy, surpassing Governor Edward G. Rendell's goal of 20 percent that he set last year. The state purchases its electricity from renewable wind and hydroelectric sources via Community Energy, Inc.

It is also on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 25 Green Power Partnership list – the only state in the country to be included in the top 25 of renewable energy purchasers.

Plus, Montgomery County in Pennsylvania last month became the first 100 percent wind-powered county in the country. The county recently made a 29 million kilowatt hour wind energy purchase that will power all county facilities, with the utility PECO and Community Energy.

Such purchases will help Pennsylvania meet its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which calls for 18 percent of all retail energy generated by 2021 to come from clean sources.

Last week, Rendell handed out $21.2 million in grants that support alternative energy, although it seems the state is already attracting clean-tech companies even without the incentives. Spanish wind developer Gamesa and other international energy companies, such as Iberdrola, Conergy and Axion have all made the state a base of operations. And since the alternative energy portfolio passed in 2004, it has attracted $1 billion in new, private investment to Pennsylvania.