2007年VOA标准英语-Entrepreneurs are Banking on Solar Solutions

By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
19 July 2007
 

"Silicon¹ Valley" in northern California originally referred to the corporate² homes of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, and the high tech businesses in the San Francisco Bay area.  Today that region is retooling³ in a "green" way.  VOA's Paul Sisco has today's Searching for Solutions report.

Entrepreneurship is alive and well in northern California. More so in solar power development than in the software and computer businesses that flourished here in the 1980s and '90s. 

Dick Swanson of SunPower

Dick Swanson is with a company called SunPower. "Today is kind of our 1983 for the chip industry, if you will." When asked if the industry were on the cusp of it becoming everyday household technology, he answered, "Absolutely, absolutely."

He hopes so, and so do a number of entrepreneurs who believe alternative energy development is the next big thing here.  Many are forming companies that manufacture, distribute, and install solar panels and other solar energy products.

Lyndon Rive used to be in the software business. Now he runs Solar City. "Looking at the world's biggest problems, software is not going to address it."

His new business brings solar power to California homes and neighborhoods.

soSolar panels convert energy from the sun into electricity

David Pierce, another former computer industry executive, is convinced there will soon be a mass American market for solar panels, and that will make them affordable⁴. "This is my sixth venture-backed company and this is the most exciting market opportunity I've ever been in," he says.

Venture capitalist Ray Lane agrees. "Last year the funding -- the venture capital funding for green or renewable technologies -- was something like one and a half billion dollars. This year it will be three and a half billion."

The growing demand for green technology is turning California's Silicon Valley, into "Solar Valley".

1 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

2 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

3 retooling   

v.（给…）更换工具， （给…）更换机械设备( retool的现在分词 )；改组，革新

参考例句：

• The factory is retooling to start making the new line of cars. 工厂正在重新装备以便开始制造新系列车型。 来自辞典例句
• Among her suggestions: retooling factories to focus on rebuilding America's transportation system. 她的建议包括围绕重新建设美国交通系统这个重心来重组汽车工业。 来自互联网

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。