The Chinese middle class has proved to be an alternative growth engine for Western companies, especially when their home markets stagnate during the recession.

FORBES: Times Have Changed: No More 'China Produces and America Consumes'

He says the tension it relieves by allowing pilots an opt-out of flying in poor conditions makes it a safe alternative to other single-engine planes.

FORBES: The Flying Car Comes To The New York Auto Show

China's longer-term opportunity is to build an auto industry based not on the gasoline engine but on alternative fuels, skipping a generation of technology as it has done in areas such as telecoms.

FORBES: Magazine Article

While Apple has said it would not develop its own search engine, having an alternative to Google that is not a Microsoft product and could be used on its iOS devices and Mac products could be a nice substitute.

FORBES: A Facebook Search Engine? Could Be...

But the heat-driven Stirling engine design opens up possibilities for alternative fuels.

FORBES: A Comeback For Infinia's Solar Power Heat Ray?

There is, however, an alternative: burn the hydrogen in a conventional internal-combustion engine.

ECONOMIST: Hydrogen-powered cars

This would eliminate what has historically been the only performance advantage of lead acid in starter battery applications, and is expected to considerably increase the value proposition of A123's Engine Start battery as a lighter-weight, longer-lasting alternative to absorbent glass mat (AGM) and other lead acid batteries.

ENGADGET: A123 Systems' new lithium ion tech keeps EV batteries cool, your wallet in check