Silicon Impact on Solar Prices

EE Times article - Silicon wafer vendors see new dynamics

Key Points:

1. Solar has been getting the lower quality cast offs.
2. Solar demand has increased enough where it is competing with semiconductors for Silicon.
3. Silicon is only 5% of the cost of a semiconductor chip and 50% of the cost of Solar Cells for the photovoltaic industry.

So the idea of thin film that requires less silicon makes sense