Promising to power America's thirst for clean electric, innovations are being made across sectors including wind, solar, synthetic gas, clean coal, and more. Two forward-looking companies, Southern California Edison (SCE), and Prologis are teaming up to provide one such solution: the first U.S. roof lease. Prologis is leasing their facility's roof to Southern California Edison for a solar panel installation that will deliver 2.2 Megawatts to Southern California's overworked power grid. Over the next five years, the two companies will work together to provide more than 220 Megawatts worth of California sunshine electricity using the first rooftop installations deployed on a massive scale.

While it's clear that big corporations have the bucks to invest in R&D and cutting-edge technologies, small businesses are getting in on the green action, too. A single entrepreneur, Kipp Nash of Boulder, Colorado, came up with the idea to turn his suburban yard into an organic minifarm that supplies local restaurants and neighbors with fresh produce. His idea helped him gross $6K from his farm last year, and earned him a mention in the Wall Street Journal. He plans to expand operations to eight other neighbor's yards this year, and expects to rake in $15K.