The cleantech play is hardly altruistic. Rather it's a bet on ability to extract government subsidies to make profits, and to time the market for a successful

The cleantech play is hardly altruistic. Rather it's a bet on ability to extract government subsidies to make profits, and to time the market for a successful exit. Note the lobbying cleantech VCs are doing in Washington DC, and consider Al Gore hire in terms of its lobbying power, especially if Democrats come to power. While making money by transferring wealth from taxpayers to institutional investors is arguably unethical, you can't fault its business viability.