DES MOINES, Iowa -- Gov. Chet Culver is defending his focus on Iowa's renewable energy industry, saying his effort has created "thousands of jobs" and leaving little doubt he'll make it the centerpiece of his campaign for a second term.

The Democratic governor made the creation of a $100 million Iowa Power Fund the centerpiece of his 2006 campaign, and he dismissed a report by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency that found the fund has had limited success.

The report said the state has spent $47 million in Power Fund projects but found it had created only 100 jobs.

"That's an outdated report," Culver said Thursday. "What we know today is about 8,700 jobs have been created in Iowa in the green technology sector, in part because of the Power Fund."

He said Iowa leads the nation in its focus on renewable energy and is creating jobs in the process.

Culver's potential opponents already have made it clear they will target him on the issue.

"It's been a pattern to over-inflate numbers," said Rep. Rod Roberts, R-Carroll, who is pondering a bid for the 2010 GOP gubernatorial nomination. "I think there are a lot of people who are at the point where these big state programs may have over-promised on what they actually can deliver."

Senate Minority Leader Paul McKinley, R-Chariton, who also is considering a run, said he senses that voters are weary of big-spending government programs.

"There's a difference between creating work and creating jobs," McKinley said. "You can create work by throwing money out there, but I'm very skeptical these big programs can create jobs."

Culver has been focusing on renewable energy efforts all week as he begins assembling his campaign. On Wednesday, he toured a solar energy research facility partially funded by the Power Fund. He also cut the ribbon to open the state's 71st wind farm.

Iowa is second only to Texas in the amount of energy generated from wind.

"We're very serious about our focus of creating the Silicon Prairie right here in the Midwest," Culver said. Asked how many jobs could be attributed to the Power Fund, the governor said "certainly thousands of jobs."