HONDA GOES SOLAR

Another one from the prolific Leah Krauss:

Solar World: Honda enters solar market
Leah Krauss, December 7, 2006 (UPI)

- Japanese automaker Honda followed DuPont, General Electric and others to become the latest company to make solar cells…Honda dabbled in solar before officially unveiling Honda Soltec…The wholly owned subsidiary is a $35 million investment for the company…Honda Soltec will produce thin film solar cells made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and diselenide -- known in the solar business as CIGS…
- CIGS solar cells require about 50 percent less energy to produce when compared to the production of crystalline silicon cells…Highly refined silicon is the main ingredient of 95 percent of solar cells -- including the newer "thin film" cells, which use much less material than a regular photovoltaic panel.

- Silicon is a proven technology, but it is also an expensive component of the solar cell.
- Though companies often cite environmental reasons for developing and selling solar technology, it is also a smart business move. While the average gain for the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and NASDAQ indices was 1.25 percent in 2005, eight publicly traded U.S. solar companies gained 134 percent on the stock market…
- Solar is just one of the energy sources provided by General Electric's GE Energy. The company has a varied renewables portfolio that also includes wind, hydro and biomass energy, and together with its thermal energy sources, the company is a $16.5 billion dollar business.
- DuPont, meanwhile, boasts "more than 20 years of experience in (photovoltaic) materials development, applications know-how, manufacturing expertise and global market access."
- Though the market is rife with companies dedicated to solar…DayStar Technologies, Inc., Evergreen Solar Inc., Powershares Wilderhill Clean Energy Fund, Sunpower Corp. and Suntech Power Holdings…solar energy experts have told UPI that the entry of "regular" companies into the solar market proves there's money to be made there…