The good news is that, as the article notes, equipment from failed solar cell manufacturers will be dirt cheap. The bad news is that precious few people with the money to buy that equipment are going to be crazy enough to get into the business.

Here's the stupidness of U.S and Oregon governments' renewable energy drive (throw in the loons at stump town city hall, too). The U.S and oregon governments borrow from the likes of China to subsidize renewables like roof top solar at over half the all in cost of solar. Simulataneously, the Chineese make bank by manufacturing and exporting solar equipment (like panels) to Oregon and other U.S states. If this were not enough, China is growing its conventional power generating capacity which is one of the lowest cost power sources around (coal, that is), and it uses such cheap conventional power sources to manufacture the solar equipment exported to the U.S.

The U.S and Oregon governments' lovefest with renewable energy is helping to bankrupt them while simultaneously making the U.S uncompetitive as it denies itself its still plentiful conventional energy resources.

Stop this government lovefest which effectively just ransoms our futures to China. Just get back to drilling and mining our bountiful domestic assets. Until we do this as a nation, we aren't going anywhere economically (but perhaps backwards). I think most folks would prefer economic independence and competitiveness over achieving some minor dent in global warming, which is probably still ruled by the forces of nature.

C'mon you know as soon as the govt give-out money runs out these guys are gone.

If they do want to hand out money, then pick a known entity and build them a plant with a tax holiday - Like an office for Nike or a fab for Intel.

The reality is that american manufacturing has been so eviscerated over the last 30 years that China is the only country who will make any money with these "green" products. Even Warren Buffet knows this as he invested tons of cash in a chinese electric car company.

"China is the only country who will make any money"

Again, Intel seems to make OK money manufacturing over here. A larger issue is that our population hasn't kept up skill-wise with the rest of the world.

If you can pay some $5/day to bolt bumpers on a Chrysler, why would you pay someone $100/day to do the same thing here?

If we want higher-paying job, eventually we will need to merit the higher pay with some skills that no other country has.

Steve - Given that the US's ranking for educated citizens has been sliding badly due to "all real education left behind" it would be a miracle to have the best skilled work force on the planet.

Lucs: Universities are training uneducated educators. In fact, education majors score considerably lower than students in other academic departments on college entrance exams. In other words, they start off with less on the ball than other students, and they "train" for entry into a union-dominated, non-competitive field.

Our schools are designed to grow vegetables.

"all real education left behind"

I'd like to think the problem pre-dates Bush. More important, I'd like to see someone make the situation better instead of blaming Bush or tsunamis.