A bright solar industry lost in the sand?

The solar industry is booming right now. Research is producing the greatest efficiencies ever achieved in solar cell energy efficiency. Solar companies, such as Evergreen solar, are signings 100's of millions of dollars worth of deals. Just when the future of the solar industry seems so bright, a sand storm clouds its ray of light.

Because demand for solar power technology is increasing so dramatically, there is now a severe silicon shortage. Compared to last year, the demand for polysilicon has doubled, yet polysilicon manufacturing is at it's limits - it simply cannot keep up with demand. Even worse, it takes some $300 million to build a polysilicon manufacturing plant.

Consequently, it could easily take a few years for the silicon supply to catch up with the solar power demand.

Hopefully, rather than stymie the industry too much, the silicon shortage will lead to new technological breakthroughs that extend the supply of silicon, or even move beyond silicon.