| Is Silicon Valley set to become Solar Valley?
There answer, according to an
article in Sunday’s New York Times, seems to be yes. The article notes that some of the area’s smartest people are focusing their attention on ways of finding cheaper and more plentiful solar panels.
"Optimism about creating 'Solar Valley' in the geographic shadow of computing all-stars like Intel, Apple and Google is widespread among some solar evangelists," according to the article.
Cypress Semiconductor, Nanosolar, Akeena Solar, and SolarCity are among the Silicon Valley companies working on, or backing, solar efforts.
However, as the Times says, the tech industry’s infatuation with solar energy could be short-lived. Affordable solar development still relies on government backing, consumers might not be willing to change their energy-consuming habits, and, as the Times notes, "fear of a solar bubble is legitimate."
Still, considering the incredible breakthroughs made by Silicon Valley engineers in the past few decades, just the thought of all these big brains working to find clean, efficient and affordable energy sources is reason enough for hope that a much-needed power breakthrough may come in the not-too-distant future.
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