Like semiconductors, US solar needs government support

PLEASANTON, Calif. - March 21, 2017 - PRLog -- Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. (www.wwk.com), the global leader in cost and productivity management software and consulting services, announced today the publication of its latest article on U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing and the need for aggressive government policies against non-market players.

"Like semiconductors, US solar needs government support" examines the differences in historical U.S. government support for semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing and U.S. PV manufacturing.  Additionally, it compares the outcomes for similar investments in these two industries by China, its failure to capture high margin IC markets and its dominance in silicon-based PV.

The article can be found on The Hill (http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/324653-like-semiconductors-us-solar-needs-government-support).  The article is part of a group of articles touching on complimentary issues, including "Renewables are not equally clean. Time to separate good from bad," also available at TheHill.com and "How to Change the Playing Field for American Workers and Industry," which can be found at Second Line of Defense (SLDinfo.com).

With more than 3,000 users worldwide, Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. is the largest privately held operational cost management software and consulting company serving technology-dependent and technology-driven organizations. WWK maintains long-term relationships with prominent industry resources including SEMATECH, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), and national labs and universities. Its client base includes nearly all of the top 20 semiconductor manufacturers and equipment and materials suppliers as well as leaders in photovoltaics (PV), solid state lighting/light emitting diodes (SSL/LED), nanotechnology, micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), thin film record heads, magnetic media, flat panel displays (FPD), and healthcare.

WWK's product line includes TWO COOL® for detailed process step level cost of ownership (COO) and overall equipment efficiency (OEE), PRO COOL® for process flow and test cell costing, Factory Commander® for full facility capacity analysis and activity based costing, Factory Explorer® for cycle time reduction and WIP planning, and TCOe™ for energy production project costs (cost/kilowatt-hour).