There's a lot of hope —and hype —about clean tech, as more businesses, big and small, new and old, look to get ahead in the fast-growing sector.
Determining what is or isn’t clean tech, however, isn’t always easy. Broadly speaking, clean tech is about new technologies and related businesses models that provide solutions to global environmental challenges.
There's little disagreement, though, about the sector's innovative prowess and transformative potential.
John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems and Jeffery Immelt of General Electric have both compared the clean tech revolution to the Internet, promising vast profits and high-skill, high-pay jobs. President Barack Obama has also touted its power.
The sector is huge, encompassing a wide array of technologies, from energy generation, efficiency and storage to transportation to construction. Water, wind and solar energy also fall under its large umbrella, as do new applications of IT.
So, what do think? Is the comparison apt?