The Sun Is Shining on Silicon Valley Again.

Silicon Valley chip makers are cashing in on the solar power boom. According to published reports, semiconducter and other chip companies have become big players in the manufacture of solar cells.

While solar energy still is almost twice as expensive to produce than energy created from fossil fuels, the government has been willing to subsidize the process in an effort to develop alternative energy sources.

Taking a page from Archer Daniels Midland which has fleeced the government for years through ethanol subsidies, solar stands to put Silicon Valley back on the map.

According to the Contra Costa Times:

But improving technology, falling costs, rising prices for fossil fuels, concerns about the electric grid's stability and worries about global warming are all fueling the growth of solar energy. The industry is expected to grow from $11 billion in 2005 to $51 billion in 2015, according to a projection by Clean Edge Inc., a market research firm focused on clean technology.

Solar Energy Recharges Silicon Valley [Contra Costa Times]