From energy-efficient lightbulbs and electric cars to giant wind turbine farms and gadgets that make your home a little smarter, the young green-technology industry has quickly become the most talked-about tech sector since Marc Andreessen created a Web browser that sparked the dot-com boom. But as we learned in the dot-com bust, not every company is built to last.

Facing the worst economic conditions since World War II, the green-tech industry is heading for a make-or-break period in which perhaps only the well-funded, the most innovative, and the most politically connected will survive.

In this three-day special report, will examine how green-tech businesses are coping with the recession while, in many cases, pining for green-tech dollars in the Obama stimulus package. Focusing on the most active corner of the green-tech industry–the way the country generates and receives electricity–we’ll identify the most promising technologies and most challenging hurdles.

The question isn’t whether the green-tech movement will whither away, of course. Already, there is a growing consumer niche for green technologies, from rooftop solar panels to low-power consumer electronics made from recycled materials.

But how big can this industry be, how long will it take to get there, and who will lead the way?

Source: CNET News