TAIPEI, Dec 27, 2005 -- AsiaPulse

 

If the chip-making industry can integrate solar energy to produce highly efficient solar cells, it will help Taiwan reduce its dependency on imported energy, according to a think tank.

Chang Chien-yi, a department director of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER) , said the production process involved in developing low-cost solar cells have many common features as in semiconductor production; in fact, some solar cell manufacturers are studying how to use new chips and related technology to lower production costs.

Therefore, solar energy production can be a new business opportunity for the chip industry, he added.

If the chip-making industry can work well with the "green" energy sector, it will not only open up a new horizon for the industry but also create a great benefit for Taiwan, which is 99 per cent reliant on imported crude oil, Chang said.

In a recent report forecasting the industrial trends from now until 2015, TIER said memory chip and computer platform industries seem to be on the decline, whereas bio-tech and Chinese medical equipment are seen as potential areas for growth.

Looking at the coming 10 years, Chang said special attention should be paid to the potential room for development of the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

(CNA)

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