In his usual no-nonsense manner, CEO TJ Rodgers described how he is navigating Cypress Semiconductor through bad economic conditions, and denied that the solar industry is losing competiveness as oil prices decline.

The growth pace of China's new energy industry is seriously dented by oil price slump and demand shrinkage due to the global financial crisis, according to analysts.

Solar energy industry will receive moderate and no long-lasting impacts from global financial market, said Wang Runsheng, CEO of China's major solar cell producer China Sunergy. As the main driving force of solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, governmental subsidy policies haven't been removed or delayed due to the financial turmoil, said Wang, citing recent solar-favoring legislative adjustment in France.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is investing US$17.6 million in six projects that aim to develop prototype photovoltaic (PV) components and systems that will be commercialised by 2010.