Word is out today, in The New York Times, that a large semiconductor company in Taiwan, China--Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing--is exploring the possibility of switching--gradually, I'm sure--from making semiconductors to solar cells.
It makes some sense, it would seem.
The semiconductor market is older and more of a "mature" market, whereas solar cells would be a much newer, possible growth market they could grow into.
If successful, it would certainly help the company but China and Taiwan, too, of course.
Frankly, it could help us all, worldwide, to get lower costs for these cells so we could have far cleaner energy--almost completely clean energy, once the cells are created.
Think of it.
No burning coal. No carbon dioxide and dirt from that burning.
Once we can reduce the cost of photovoltaic cells to create energy, we could realistically at least shrink the power companies, if not, one day, do away with them.
That could free up people and economies all over the world.
So it's good news, really, but it's also a bit of a "shot across the bow" for the United States and US manufacturing.
We'd better get busy.
Link to story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/business/energy-environment/13chip.html?_r=1&th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1244934234-1WcPF2mUpImvmO9ps2Q+nA
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