Part of the reason green tech will have a hard time rising independently is the market it works in. The energy market is very non free-market and as a result of all the tax grants and government intervention.
So, I think it is hard to say that green tech should be able to rise above on it's own without some gov spending.
It was also rather inspirational. I want my own Bloom box. It would be interesting to see cost details on that compared to the grid... pretty sure there is no way it is cheaper, but it might be a brilliant way to replace all those diesel generators that hospitals and hurricane victims keep around.
Do they need to be replaced? I mean, they're already there, reliable and aren't exactly polluting a lot - they're only used in exceptional circumstances.
Could be useful for off-grid applications. Homes that are solar/wind/etc, but the Bloom Box kicks in when energy demand is high or reserves are low... Might reduce or eliminate the need for (polluting) batteries.
So, I think it is hard to say that green tech should be able to rise above on it's own without some gov spending.