Big Players Taking Lead In Solar Partnerships

June 24, 2008

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Some say interest in solar technology from the world’s largest corporations gives credibility to the industry and proves that it is not just a “fad” and that new players might even be too late to join the game, Reuters reports.

– Intel is spinning off solar technology it developed into a start-up called SpectraWatt Inc., which will begin shipping its solar cells next year.

– IBM and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo are developing more efficient solar power technologies and plan to license their thin film solar technology in the next two to three years.

– Bosch, the world’s biggest automotive supplier is planning to buy German solar cell maker Ersol for $1.67 billion.

– Hewlett-Packard is licensing its clear transistor technology to solar power company Xtreme Energetics.

Piper Jaffray analyst Jesse Pichel said in a note to clients that the Intel, IBM and HP announcements “validate solar’s long-term opportunity.”

Another analyst says other companies may find they’re “a day late and a dollar short,” when trying to forge similar partnerships.

The U.S. EPA has announced a guide it developed in consultation with Businesses for Social Responsibility that might light the way for newcomers. “A Business Guide to U.S. EPA Climate Partnership Programs” includes profiles on 35 EPA climate-change related partnership programs and describes the benefits of partnering with EPA.

More than 13,000 firms and other organizations participate in EPA climate-related partnership programs, according to the EPA.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted the benefits of partnerships in the solar industry recently saying if commercial buildings in that state partnered with utilities, it would result in a “huge wave of renewable energy growth.”

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