Some interesting stories among today’s collection of Green IT links.

First, shrinking state budgets could shave an impact on their ability to attract big data center operators if incentive programs get slashed. It’s a situation that could have a profound effect on North Carolina, which has become the East Coast epicenter of data center growth.

Also, AES is to thank for growth in A123’s energy storage business; GE’s Ecomagination initiative shows  some positive momentum for select startups; and a 16-core Atom processor could emerge as Intel’s weapon against ARM’s impending assault on the data center. And yes, the Flipboard love continues.

• Budget Cuts Target North Carolina Incentives – Data Center Knowledge
• 16-core Atom might define the datacenter for Intel – ZDNet
• AMD promotes its APU chips as green – The Inquirer
• Why Does Energy Efficiency’s Promise Remain Unfulfilled? – Yale Environment 360
• Open Innovation at GE – MIT Technology Review
• A123 Systems Can Thank AES For Grid Sales – Earth2Tech
• Smart Grid, Solar Power Combine In Homes – EarthTechling
• Solar leads U.S.-specific 2010 VC money grab – ZDNet
• State of Green Business 2011: What’s In and What’s Not – Matter Network
• The Daily vs. Flipboard: One of These is The Future of Newspapers… – ReadWriteWeb (I vote Flipboard.)