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Home > Plugged In > Archives > 2008 > June > 30 > Entry
Conjuring up some ‘solar magic’
National Semiconductor Corp. becomes the latest semiconductor industry company to join in the solar energy craze.
National Semi today unveiled its new “Solar Magic” (there’s a high tech-sounding name for you) device that connects to solar panels and claims to boost the output of the panels by 30 percent or more, even when the panels are covered in shade. To illustrate how it works, National Semi had a sort of wacky “race” with solar-powered golf carts at his Santa Clara, Cali. headquarters that you can check out here.
The technology comes out of National Semi’s research into power mangement and conservation in semiconductors. Its “Solar Magic” boxes (check out the photo) will be made at factories in Arlington, Texas and in Scotland.
While this is National Semi’s first venture into solar, there’s lots more to come, company officials say. CEO Brian Halla has said the National Semi could someday get as much as 25 percent of its revenues from the solar business.
National Semi is just the latest high-tech giant to get into the solar business. Others include Intel Corp., which just spun off a solar cell making venture; IBM, which is researching solar concentrator and cooling technology, and Hewlett-Packard Co., which recently inked a deal with a photovoltaics company to share transistor technology.
Tech giants see the potential profits in solar. If they’re right, they could also drive down prices and boost efficiency in the industry — just as technology advancements do in almost any business.
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