Quick, what do BP, Sharp and Sanyo all have in common?
. . .
Give up? They are all among the largest producers of solar modules. And recently Honda and Applied Materials have entered the solar business as well.
If you are a renewable energy fan, you have to get excited when large semiconductor equipment experts like Applied Materials get in the game.
But the most recent prospective entrant (which I have blogged about) is IBM. Big Blue's program is still under wraps, but it has worked on solar technology in its research arm since the 1970s and has massive expertise in semiconductors, material science and other related technologies to bring to bear.
As more and more major companies from the semiconductor sector enter the business, you can bet that costs will come down fast, and the currently sky high price for solar power will fall--and that's good for all of us.