Some green tech ideas, such as the manufacturing of solar cells or lithium-ion batteries, take years to move research out of the labs and into the factories.

FORBES: ARPA-E Bets $130 Million On Cutting-Edge Green Tech

Seamless metal containers still have myriad uses in the high-tech age: they make particularly good casings for long-life lithium ion batteries, used in mobile phones and notebook computers, since they don't corrode as welded casings do.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | GizmoLand! | Man Beats Machine