HelioVolt - Why go Solar?

That is the question I asked myself when I recently left a job with a semiconductor company. Actually, I intuitively knew the answer the minute that I received the phone call asking me to come in for the interview. With my electric bill in the $200 range and the price of a barrel of oil in the $80 range, turmoil in the Middle East, and concerns about global warming - it just makes sense that our Nation needs to do something about our current energy situation.

After doing some research, I have determined that we are on the cusp of some very disruptive technologies. With nano-technologies, thin film photovoltaic material offers a much cheaper alternative to tradition silicon based methods. The price to retro-fit a house could come down from $30,000 to $5000 within a couple of years.The venture money is starting to flood into these high tech solar companies.

HelioVolt just received $77M which is one of the largest investments in green tech to date. Another company to check out is First Solar (FSLR) who went public in Dec. '06 around $20 a share and is now in the $140 range. DT Solar, which is fronted by Ted Turner, has made Austin, their "Southwest Headquarters".

The buzz isn't just being generated by the venture capitalists. Cities are aggressively pursuing these companies.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/10/08/tidbits1.html?b=1191816000^1530584

Is this technology going to revolutionalize our world? It's possible. There are several angles to look at the revolutionary aspect of this technology. It addresses global warming, energy independence, changes the geo-political equation in the Middle East, deployment of energy sources in remote and sometimes poverty stricken regions in the world.

One other near term benefit for places like Austin and Silicon Valley - Jobs. There will be an explosion of manufacturing jobs in these regions and that is precisely why the more forward looking officials in city governments are chomping at the bit to get these companies to locate in their region. Austin, in particular, does not want to repeat the fiasco of letting the next Dell get away from the long arm of its coffers.