Solar Cells
topic on 3 shows · 6 statements across 6 episodes
Acquired 
Catalyst 
the Green Blueprint
6 statements about Solar Cells, every show
Morris Chang: China heavily subsidized and took control of solar manufacturing
“The solar business could have been pretty good. However, China ruined it. They subsidized the hell out of it. And they now control that business, solar cells.”
Khan: Over 100 startups attempted alternative solar cells before silicon won
“Cause back before it was obvious that crystal and silicon was going to be The dominant winner. There were a hundred technology startups. I mean, literally a hundred technology startups doing different kinds of solar cells, lots of different thin film stuff, SI…”
Berdichevsky: Solar has 10x higher value per kilo than batteries
“There's like a 10 X difference in the value per kilo of the good between batteries and solar. So it's still a lot more efficient and effective and faster to ship solar around the world than it is with batteries.”
Patterson: Module frames and glass are largest domestic content components after cells
“Well, it's material. The only thing bigger like I say, let's say we're a tie with a glass. The only thing bigger is the solar cells. And so, if you look at what is the easiest low-hanging fruit to drive a material increase it's the frame.”
Beebe: Solar Scaled Through Brute-Force Supply Chains, Not Novel Tech
“And one of the key catalysts that I hadn't really understood was the ability to use non-semiconductor grade silicon, you know, not the purest type of silicon to make solar cells. So instead of radical innovation, you know people like Nanosolar and even Solyndr…”