SUN IN THE VALLEY

The coincidence of concerns that links the solar energy industry and the electrical industry is nowhere more perfectly exemplified than by the new Underwriters Labs (UL) testing and certification facility, the biggest one in North America, in San Jose, CA.

First, note the location: The UL Global Industrial Products Center is in San Jose, right around the corner from Silicon Valley, the heart of the Information Technology (IT) world and nirvana to electrical engineers.

Second, note the purpose of the center: To test and certify solar energy-generating technology.

Finally, note its goal: To get solar products to market faster.

Bill Colavecchio, vice-president/general manager, UL Global Industrial Products Center: "Silicon Valley will be one of the critical global leaders that will ultimately make PV mainstream…"

Solar energy is still evolving. Its biggest challenge, achieving price-parity with traditional sources of electricity-generation, will be met by electrical engineers. Nowhere are electrical engineers more interested in meeting that challenge than in “the Valley.”

Al Velosa, analyst, Gartner: "It's in the midst of the revolution…"

The IT center’s broad interest in Cleantech has gravitated to a very specific interest, the use of its electrical engineering expertise to make solar energy the answer to the most urgent question of the day, how to transition from Old, dirty, dwindling energy to New, clean, endlessly renewable energy.

To that end, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group formed SolarTech. Its specific aims: A 15-to-18% yearly drop in solar manufacturing and installation time for the next 5 years and an expansion over 3-to-5 years of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Initiative. Its big-picture goal: Price parity for solar energy with Old Energy electricity-generating sources in 5-to-10 years.

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Days getting sunnier for solar in Silicon Valley
Sheila Riley, September 16, 2008 (EE Times)

WHO
SolarTech; Silicon Valley Leadership Group (members: SunPower, Chevron Energy Services, Applied Materials, Underwriters Laboratories, SunEdison, Pacific Gas and Electric, etc,); Bill Colavecchio, vice-president/general manager, UL Global Industrial Products Center;

WHAT
SolarTech, a subgroup of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group dedicated to removing business barriers to the development of solar energy technology, symbolizes and embodies Silicon Valley’s commitment to development of solar energy.

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WHEN
- Underwriters Labs (UL) opened a new, solar products testing/certification facility in July 2008.
- SolarTech was established in August 2008 after 2 years of planning by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.
- San Jose adopted its Green Vision, a 15-year plan to make it a world center of clean tech innovation, in 2007.

WHERE
- UL’s new facility is in San Jose, CA. It is the biggest UL facility in North America.
- The City of San Jose is a member of SolarTech and has its own Green Vision.

WHY
- Silicon Valley advantages in solar energy: California pro-solar attitude, California public utility support, semiconductor industry veterans in the solar industry and the use of semiconductors in solar panels, a culture of startups.
- SolarTech has 40 members, including companies, utilities, and the city of San Jose and aims to develop regional government memberships.
- Silicon Valley solar challenges: (1) Slow financing processes, (2) Slow, unpredictable system permit processes, (3) Inconsistencies in the National Electrical Code.
- The goals of San Jose’s Green Vision: (1) Creating 25,000 clean tech jobs, (2) Cutting per capita energy use 50%, (3) Obtaining all electricity from New Energy sources, and (4) Building/retrofitting 50 million square feet of green buildings.

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QUOTES
- Al Velosa, analyst, Gartner: "What makes the valley more interesting is that the wave of emerging startups are pioneering techniques that will help take solar power to the point of being competitive with regular electricity…This is the where the real excitement and potential in Silicon Valley is."
- Doug Payne, head of business operations, SolarTech: "[The cost of solar-generated electricity] contributes to a tremendous amount of inefficiency…It’s a fundamental barrier to growth."
- Collin O'Mara, clean tech strategist, City of San Jose: "We're one of the few communities that completely links environmental and economic goals…"
- Bill Colavecchio, vice-president/general manager, UL Global Industrial Products Center: "Silicon Valley will be one of the critical global leaders that will ultimately make PV mainstream…"