Upgraded prospects: PV cellmaker Calisolar puts the silicon back in Silicon Valley
SunPower ratcheted up the hoopla-o-meter with its Earth Day news event, replete with the requisite Schwarzeneggerian photo opportunity, during which it aired plans to partner with Flextronics on a 75MW crystalline-silicon moduling facility in Milpitas. A few weeks before, another Golden State-branded company putting the silicon back into Silicon Valley (and the sunny in Sunnyvale, for that matter)—Calisolar–hosted Sacramento’s lame-duck action hero for the opening ceremonies of its own newly commissioned PV cell factory. While I couldn’t be there earlier this month to shake Arnold’s hand and smoke one of his cigars, I did meet Calisolar CEO Roy Johnson last week at the company’s HQ, home to what may be the world’s leading upgraded metallurgical-grade solar-cell facility.