Intel gets into photovoltaics
HOT ON THE HEELS OF IBM and HP, Intel yesterday announced that it too would be pushing ahead with its very own spinoff solar cell manufacturing company, SpectraWatt.
According to a company press release, the firm’s investment arm, Intel capital, is heading up a $50 million round along with other investors such as Goldman Sachs subsidiary Cogentrix Energy, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund, and German solar company Solon.
SpectraWatt’s first facility, due to open within the next month or so, will be based in Oregon and Chipzilla reckons the first silicon cells should be ready for shipment by mid 2009. Apparently the company - which will be headed by Andrew Wilson, the former general manager in the Intel New Business Initiatives group - aims at getting the Oregon plant producing 60 megawatts worth of cells.
Like every other company in the business, Intel notes enthusiastically that it will focus on improving solar cell efficiency, and cutting down on the overall cost per watt. No surprises there then.
President of Intel Capital and Intel executive vice president, Arvind Sodhani, noted that the giant chipmaker had its roaming eyes on a plethora of business opportunities stemming from clean tech. He gushed that the move was " an important investment for Intel Capital in the growing clean-tech sector".
Yesterday, we reported that IBM had teamed up with Japanese semiconductor firm Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK) and that together, the two planned to take on the world of CIGS solar cells, thought to be more efficient than the silicon-based ones. Earlier this month, HP also announced it had licensed transparent electronics to Xtreme Energetics, a solar concentrator start-up.
It seems all the rage for companies with semiconductor know-how to shoot for the sun, believing their field of expertise and experience in high-volume manufacturing will stand them in good stead for reaching the stars in the world of photovoltaics. Let's just hope they don’t singe their wings. µ
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IBM
and TOK team up on solar cells
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per year?

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Everyone and their brother are jumping on the PV solar cell bandwagon, which is good for consumers, but I can't see it being all the profitable for most of these firms. 

Is Intel using proprietary PV cell tech, or leasing other's? Some cells are more efficient than others. Some are much better than others, and thus command and a premium. 

I find it ironic the solar plant is in Oregon. I bet that 50 mil Intel spent, was more than offset by the massive tax breaks from state of OR, and their 'green' love fest.