Silicon (Valley) for solar

[jpak]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/15490885.htm

The ``silicon'' in Silicon Valley doesn't mean what it used to. Today, more silicon is used as the raw material in the making of solar cells than in the production of the semiconductor chips that run computers.

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For several decades, while the semiconductor industry dominated the valley, solar was dismissed as more of an interesting science project than a business. Now the solar industry's revenues are expected to grow 38 percent a year, according to Paula Mints, an analyst at Navigant Consulting. Semiconductor makers are struggling to maintain double-digit growth.

If demand for solar energy keeps growing as expected, the solar industry may have to build dozens of $300 million factories in the next five years to keep pace.

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The entire solar industry is expected to grow from 1.7 gigawatts of production in 2005 to 10.4 gigawatts in 2010, according to Michael Ropol, managing director at analyst firm Photon Consulting. Estimates vary based on usage, but it can take three gigawatts to supply electricity to 1 million homes. By 2010, the worldwide industry might be able to provide electricity to at least three cities the size of San Jose.

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